Gravity
by Lord Malachite
Summary: Angelica convinces Chuckie to join her on a road trip, while the rest of the gang deals with the reprecussions. But if the blonde has an angle, she isn't talking. Updated after 4 long years on May 8!
1. Expectations

_Expectations_

Angelica Pickles cut the engine on her Accura and peered into the old coffee house from afar. As she surveyed the place, she was happy to note that it seemed devoid of customers, as she had expected. This was an occasion where having an audience would only have hindered her performance. Angelica got out of her car and stepped purposefully towards the entrance of the Java Lava. Heel, toe. Heel, toe. Heel, toe. High heels were such a cramp to walk in, especially when your feet were already tired. She had left her sandals in the car. The heels were the perfect accent for her current outfit, a purple skirt cut about two inches over her knees and a patterned, form fitting blouse which brought out the color in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she swung the door open and walked over to the bar, planting herself on a stool and announcing her presence. "Hey, barkeep! How about a little service here!"

The response to her query came in the sound of a frustrated groan, followed by a moan of pain as the person behind the counter hit his head on something. "Ouch!" Charles Finster rubbed his forehead as he rose to his full height several feet away. "Oh, it's you, Angelica. You know, closing time is at ten on Sunday nights."

Angelica looked over at the clock on the wall. 9:54PM. "Well then, it looks like I'm just in time."

Chuckie looked at the clock as well, sighing. "Right. So what are you having?"

"How about a strawberry cream smoothie?" She asked.

"Oh come on, Angelica, I just cleaned the blender five minutes ago!" Chuckie protested.

"I guess that will teach you not to start closing the place until you're actually closed, won't it!"

"Can't you just have a coffee?"

"Sure, Finster. I drove all this way to pay five bucks for something that's been sitting on a burner for the last two hours. Now make me my smoothie!"

Chuckie sighed in acquiescence, reaching for a large pitcher. There was never any point in fighting Angelica. At best, you only delayed the inevitable. At worst. . .he didn't even like to think about Angelica at her worst. Already he was working faster, spurred on at the thought of her wrath coming down on him. His frantic pace caused him to spill quite a bit, making a mess for him to clean up. He was grateful not to have a whipped cream mishap. Finally, Chuck placed the tall, plastic cup with its pink and white contents in front of Angelica and handed her a straw. "That'll be $4.17." Chuckie held out his hand. Angelica passed him a twenty, and the redhead came back with her change moments later. What Angelica did with it made the boy take a step backwards, and he bumped into the countertop, rattling the machinery. Chuckie's eyes widened as all of the money he had just given the girl fell into the tip jar. He had known Angelica all his life. There were many, many words he would use to describe her. 'Generous' didn't make the list. As always, she had an angle, and the Finster boy feared that he was about to find out what it was.

"It's not polite to stare, Finster." Angelica smirked as she sipped from her drink, rocking her crossed legs slightly.

"I've just never known you to be so charitable."

Angelica snorted. "There's a lot about me you don't know. I can be impulsive when I want to be. And I'm feeling generous today. Is that all right with you?"

"Okay, that's it. You're up to something and I want to know what it is!" Chuck insisted.

"You really don't know what today is, do you? Angelica's lips parted slightly. "I must say, I'm disappointed."

"Life can sometimes be full of disappointments." Chuckie crossed his arms.

"Often." Angelica nodded. "I'll drink to that." She raised her cup and pressed her lips to the straw in an exaggerated motion, and Chuck began to get the impression that she was putting on a show. When Angelica had finally extricated herself from her beverage, he found himself receiving a look from the Pickles girl that frightened him to the core. Over the years, he had been on the receiving end of so many different looks from Angelica that he had developed something of a mental scrapbook of the girl. The fact that he couldn't accurately place this one was alarming. Then he seemed to realize the meaning of her gaze. Angelica wanted something, and she was going to get it, as she always did. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But you really forgot, didn't you?"

"Forgot what?"

"That this is the end." Angelica leaned forward, placing her elbows on the bar. Chuck tried to ignore the way her top fell open just enough to offer the temptation. She wanted him off balance, which meant that he was in worse trouble than he had thought.

"The end of what?"

"Of everything!" She threw her arms up in the air. "I'm leaving, Finster! Come morning, I'm driving off to college. This is the last time you'll be seeing me for a long while. Try to hold your applause."

"You're really leaving!"

"Hey, we all gotta go sometime." Angelica shrugged. "And wouldn't you know it, but there was still one of you little twerps I hadn't bid a fond farewell to."

"And here I was thinking you'd be happy to cut the cord." Chuck shook his head. "But far be it for me to wish anyone ill. Have yourself a good trip, Angelica."

Angelica raised an eyebrow in puzzlement and indignation. "Have a nice trip. _Have a nice trip!_ I drag myself all the way out here and you give me a 'have a nice trip!' You've got to be joking!"

"Um, have a really nice trip?"

Angelica growled, hopping off of her stool. "You've got some nerve, Finster! After all we've been through, after everything I've done for you, this is all I get!"

"All you've done for me!" Chuckie matched her indignation. "You mean tormenting me for the better part of my life and ignoring me for the rest of it! Why should I be grateful to you?"

"Now you listen to me!" Angelica stepped up her intimidation, leaning over the bar. "I made you, you little runt, and I damn well expect some gratitude!"

"What the heck are you talking about? You made me? Ever take a good look at my father? I'm not adopted, Angelica!"

"Your parents may have spawned you, but I'm the one who created you! I'm the one who molded the raw material!"

"You're crazy!" Chuckie waved his arms at her. "That's enough, Angelica. I'm closing up."

"You're darn right you are!" Angelica yelled, running to the door and locking it.

"What do you think you're doing! Have you lost it!"

"Sit!" Angelica commanded, extending a finger in the direction of the stool she had so recently vacated.

"No way, nuthin' doin' Angelica!"

"He doesn't understand!" She threw her arms up into the air, lifting her face to the heavens in exasperation. "Of course not. I have only myself to blame." She shook her head.

"Understand what?"

Angelica approached the bar again, taking up a stool adjacent to the one she had used earlier. "If you want to go through life as you always have, then do it. I won't stop you. But if you want to take a risk, if you want to learn something about yourself, then sit down."

"Angelica, I'm tired. And I'm opening tomorrow. I just want to go home."

"So leave. Run away. Spend the rest of your life wondering what Tommy's crazy cousin was going on about that night she waltzed in here all those years ago. Go ahead, Chuckie. I won't stop you." She smirked, the wolf circling her prey.

He looked into her eyes and knew that she had him. He couldn't run away from this one. As much as he hated to admit it, it would bother him. He looked into her eyes and saw nothing. No threat. No amusement. Only the challenge to live up to her expectations. But what did he care whether Angelica Pickles approved of him or not? He was still asking himself that question as he took the seat Angelica had indicated. She did still have some kind of power over him. He suspected it was some sort of innate fear that had been cultivated when he was very little.

"There, now isn't that better?" Angelica asked, smiling. She hoisted herself up onto the bar, kicking her legs slightly in front of her.

"You know, we have a rule about sitting on the bar."

"So throw me out." Angelica snorted. "Now then, where to begin? I suppose I should clear the air just a bit. Ever since we were kids, I've always had it in for you."

"You can say that again." Chuck sighed. "You were always on my case for something or other."

"What can I say? Having known all of you since you were babies, you always annoyed me the most Finster."

"Why? What did I ever do to you?"

"You were weak!" Angelica shook her head. "You always were. You would've been an absolute mess if it weren't for people like Tommy and Phil and the rest of your little crowd."

"So you had to make me even more scared and miserable? Gee, thanks Angelica. Where would I be without you!"

"You still don't get it! Of course I was hard on you. More than any of the others. You annoyed me so much because you had the potential to be just as strong as Tommy or Phil or Lil or Kimi or any of them! You had the potential but you almost never used it! Somebody had to give you a kick in the ass! Somebody had to see you become something! I'm your Frankenstein, Finster. I made you! I pushed and pushed and pushed some more and made you miserable because I knew you would become a better person for it! Because eventually even you would have to start pushing back!"

"So what, you're supposed to be some kind of twisted guardian angel or something?"

"You may have been only a grain of sand, Chuckie, but even the smallest grain of sand has the potential to be great. But I'm not going to be around to admire my work anymore."

"Do you expect me to thank you?"

"Not really. Maybe I don't know what I expect. Something, I guess. Let's put it this way. I expect you to miss me when I'm gone."

"Miss you?"

"Yup."

"Why?"

"Because deep down inside, you know you will."

"I do not."

"Yes, you do. I know because you never asked me to stop." She raised her cup to him and drank from it.

"Of course I did."

"But you didn't mean it. If you had, you would have found a way to make me. Think about it." She smirked.

"I'll never understand you." Chuckie shook his head.

"The one thing you should understand about me _is _that you'll never understand me, Chuckles."

"So now what?"

"Now we find out what you're made of. I told you I was leaving in the morning." Angelica paused to finish off her smoothie. "I lied."

"You lied!"

"I'm leaving tonight."

"What!"

"I'm leaving tonight." Angelica repeated.

"You mean you're not even going to tell anyone or say goodbye to your folks? You're just going to up and take off?"

"That's right. I've decided to take a little road trip. Clear my head, see some sights, and just be Angelica for awhile. There's still a good six weeks left until school starts. I figured I'd swing back in before the end to say a proper goodbye."

"It seems kind of cold to me." Chuck shook his head.

"It's just something I have to do." Angelica shrugged. "But I can't do it all on my own. Taking a long trip by yourself is the pits. I'm going to need someone with me."

"I hear that Susie isn't doing much this summer." Chuck offered.

Angelica rolled her eyes. "Hard as it may be to believe, I was thinking about you, Columbo."

"Me!"

"That's right. I figure it's time to see if all that hard work I've put in has finally paid off."

"Now I know it, you really are crazy! You're just trying to make fun of me, aren't you?"

"Believe me, I wouldn't bother going to this kind of trouble for something that simple. I can find plenty of other ways to do that which would take up far less of my time."

"Angelica, I'm not going on some kind of spur of the moment road trip with you at ten o'clock on a Sunday night!"

"Why not?"

"Because! I. . .I just can't! I have responsibilities! I'm supposed to open this shop up in the morning!"

"So? Someone else will do it! This place isn't going to close down because Charles Finster decided not to show up one morning!"

"Maybe not, but I can't just leave my family and friends and. . .and everyone without even saying anything!"

"So you can call them on my cell phone tomorrow."

"And what about my parents! They'd kill me for doing something so crazy!"

"They probably would. And when you do come back home they'll probably ground you for your whole first semester of senior year even if you are a little old for that sort of thing. They'll yell at you a bit and demand to know just what you were thinking, and then they'll yell at my parents, who will yell at me. Am I missing anything?"

"Yes! A reason for me to do something this crazy!"

"Why do you need a reason! You don't want to do it?" Angelica pressed.

"No! And even if I did want to, I can't!"

"You can't, or you won't?"

"Angelica. . ."

"Walk with me, Finster." Angelica slid off the bar and walked towards the front door, unlocking it. She waited until she heard footsteps behind her before opening it. She held the door open until Chuckie reluctantly passed through, then let it close behind her.

"What?" Chuck asked.

Angelica reached into her purse and pulled out her keys, hitting a button on the remote control which unlocked the doors. She walked the short distance to the curb and opened her passenger door, the leather interior being revealed in the process. "Your family, your friends, this whole town. . .all of it will still be here when you get back. But this is an opportunity you'll never have again. You like to take risks? Then take the biggest one you ever have. Get in the car. Be somebody."

"Even if I did, why should I go on a trip like this with you? You'll only give me a hard time."

"Maybe I will and maybe I won't." Angelica smiled. "You've got nothing to go on but this--I came here tonight to pick you up and take you with me. That's all. Life is a risk. I'm not promising you anything except an experience you'll never get the chance to have again, and one you'll never forget, either. But you have to get in the car. I'm not going to force you." Angelica shook her head.

"I don't even have any clothes except for the ones on my back!"

"That's what credit cards are for." Angelica laughed. "Now get in. I don't have all night."

Very slowly, as though he were resisting a greater force within himself, Chuck stepped into Angelica's luxury vehicle. She shut the door and walked to the other side, sitting in the driver's seat. She closed her own door, fastened her seatbelt, and turned the key in the ignition. "This is nuts." Chuckie shook his head. Angelica didn't respond as she put the car into gear and drove off down the road. "What am I going to say to everyone?"

"You'll think of something." Angelica said.

"Well, what are you going to tell your folks when you call them?"

"I don't know. I guess I'll have to think of something too, won't I?"

"I didn't even turn the lights off or lock the shop up!"

"Somebody will." Angelica replied. "We're not going back."

"Why me?" Chuckie asked. "Why did you want me to come?"

"Are you going to ask questions all night, or are you going to relax!" Angelica huffed.

"You knew. You knew, didn't you? You knew I would get in the car."

"I do have a way of getting what I want." The blonde smiled.

"No one will ever understand why I'm doing this." He laughed.

"Do you?"

"Not really."

"You will." Angelica reassured him. "When you're ready. We've all got to grow up sometime. But between you and me, I'm hoping to squeeze a few more irresponsible farces out before I hit my twenties."

"You know, Angelica, I'm glad there's only one of you."

"I know. Too much of a good thing might ruin it for everyone." They both laughed at that. Once the laughter had died down, an awkward silence settled in. Angelica rolled her window down, which made her long hair flap around a bit behind her.

"So where are we going?" Chuckie asked.

"Some place with malls, I'd say." Angelica grinned. "We've got to get you some clothes. How's Vegas sound?"

"Vegas!" Chuckie's eyes went wide.

"Yeah. We can tear up the strip, hit the stores, stay in a first class hotel, see some shows. You know, all the usual stuff I do when I'm on vacation."

"Sounds like fun."

"Of course it will be! I'm your tour guide, don't forget. And we're first class all the way. Just remember, Finster. Whatever happens in Vegas, _stays _in Vegas." Angelica looked at him, another one he couldn't match up with his mental scrapbook. From Chuckie's viewpoint, she looked like a snake preparing to eat its dinner. He was still wondering what he had gotten himself into as their car sped off into the long night, heading towards Nevada.

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Author's Notes

I got a request for a Chuckie/Angelic fic in my e-mail over the weekend. At first, I had rejected the notion. I'm not very familiar with the source material, I'm deeply involved in _Instant Gratification_, I just couldn't see myself doing it. That's what I had told myself Sunday night when I went to bed for some much needed sleep. It was Monday night that I found myself at K-Mart, buying up every _All Grown Up_ DVD they had in stock. Somewhere along the line, I guess I changed my mind. Now you're probably all sorry!

Anyhow, the result of watching a few of the episodes to reacquaint myself with characters I had only seen a handful of times over the many years since the original Rugrats debuted was this. I certainly didn't take much of a course in AGU, so I don't pretend that this is in any way a perfect story. But after rereading it myself, I just like it. No, it's not my best work, but I think it's far from my worst, and it was definitely a good diversion from the never ending work that is _Instant Gratification_.

And I'm no doubt guessing that the majority of people reading this story will be finding their way to it because they have me on Author Alert. Nothing wrong with that! But to be fair, this is a one-shot. I just can't get involved with anything else major right now. Maybe, if this thing is way more popular than I expect it to be, I'll write some sort of continuation of extension of it. But before I make commitments to something, I'd like to see if anyone even feels this was worth taking the time to read.

You know me, I'm always looking for reviews, but this is a case where I want them much more than normal, because I'm trying something new and untested. So if you're reading this, I'd really like to hear from you. Even if you don't like the story, that's okay, I don't take offense easily. So please, let me know what you thought of my little story.

Beta reading for this story was done by Lady Eirenna. So if there's anything in it you don't care for, I can assure you that the blame rests squarely on her shoulders. Okay, not really. But it should!

And lastly, for all my fans out there who read IG, I can assure you that Angelica is NOT dragging poor Charles out to Vegas to marry him. I already did that plot! Even so, your guess is as good as mine as to what might happen.

All right, I'm done. Send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

02/22/06

3:43AM, EST

E-mail: ranger(underscore)writer(at)yahoo(dot)com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	2. The Long And Winding Road

The Long And Winding Road

Angelica pulled into a rest stop along the interstate just as dawn was approaching. She and Chuckie had been on the road for over seven hours and had made good time. They had talked a bit, keeping the conversation mostly to safe, neutral topics, slowly opening up to one another. It was slow going, but Angelica was convinced she could overcome the redhead's defenses in time. He obviously didn't trust her very much, and maybe she deserved that mistrust, but she felt confident in her ability to put the past behind them.

When the two had finally run out of small talk, which had taken a lot longer than Angelica had expected, they did the only thing a boy and a girl alone together on a half-baked road trip could. They sang. A plethora of late night radio as performed by two teens of dubious talent. But what had made Angelica's evening was when Chuckie had actually stated that her singing had improved. Ha! That Susie Carmichael wasn't the only one with talent! Deep down, Angelica admitted to herself that she didn't _really _want to be a singer. But she did like to perform. She could always keep it as a hobby.

The Finster boy was now fast asleep, he had been for almost an hour. She remembered being annoyed, she had been trying to explain to him what she was thinking when she came to the Java Lava earlier that night, but he had fallen asleep on her while she was going on. Angelica wondered if she had bored him, or if he was just beyond beat. Maybe it didn't matter. It was hard to hold a grudge over that. She had moved to shake him awake, but he looked so cute, curled up in the seat, using his left arm as a pillow. _Knock it off, Angelica. This is crazy enough already! _She scolded herself.

Shutting the engine down, Angelica got out of the car as quietly as possible so as not to disturb Chuckie. She picked her way through the dim morning light, going into the ladies room. She relieved herself, washed up, and gave herself a much needed makeup check. She reapplied her trademark purple eye shadow. She always took pride in her appearance. Her hair was still a bit windblown, but there was little point in messing with it, it would only become chaos again when she resumed the journey. Satisfied that her face would keep for the foreseeable future, Angelica stepped outside, wielding her trusty cell phone. She immediately pulled up her address book, navigating under the family section, and selected the entry for her Uncle Stu's house. An interminable amount of rings began passing. "Come on, Pickles! Pick up the damn phone!" Angelica roared, willing someone to answer. Apparently her demand was heard, as someone finally picked up.

"Hello?"

"Tommy! It's Angelica!"

"Wrong cousin." Dil yawned. "Wait. . .Angelica!"

"Yeah. Get Tommy, will you? I need him to do me a favor!"

"At 5 o'clock in the morning? Do I even want to know what you've gotten yourself into this time?" Dil asked.

"Just get your brother on the phone!" Angelica yelled. She was forced to wait for another eternity for Tommy to heed her summons.

"Angelica?" Tommy asked, yawning into the phone himself.

"Tommy! Quick, I need you to do me a favor right away!"

"Why yes, it's nice to hear from you too, Angelica. Me, I'm doing well. Summer vacation has been good to me. Why, just last week, Phil and I-"

"Can the theatrics! I don't have time for pleasantries now! I need you!"

Tommy sighed. "Not that I'm even considering saying 'yes' at this point, but what am I so needed for?"

"I need you to go open the Java Lava."

"Um, Angelica? I really fail to see how this would be helpful to you. There's also the little fact that I don't work there, and I don't have keys to get in even if I did!"

"It's unlocked."

"I know I'm going to regret asking this, but why is it unlocked, and how do you know? And I thought Chuckie opened on Mondays during the summer."

"He does. But he's not going to make it today."

"So instead of telling his dad, he told you?" Tommy searched for the logic in all of this.

"I'm the only one around he has to tell."

"All right, Angelica, quit playing twenty questions with me! What's going on? Where's Chuckie?

Angelica sighed. "Asleep in the passenger seat of my car."

"Fine, I'll borrow the family car and I'll come get him."

"Not likely. We're like seven hours away. I'm trying to make the state line before we stop for some rest."

"What! Are you kidnapping my best friend or something?"

"Just a little road trip. We'll be back in a few weeks."

"Why is Chuck with you?" Tommy asked.

"To broaden his horizons." Angelica smirked. "It's no big deal. I needed someone to come and all of my friends were busy. I figured Finster would be the easiest to convince."

"What, so you can use him as some kind of pack mule while you shop!"

"No." Angelica huffed. "Look, maybe I just felt a little sorry for the spaz, okay? He's here of his own free will. I didn't coerce him!"

"And what are you going to tell his folks?"

"Yeah, about that. I was hoping you could come up with a good excuse."

"Oh no, I'm drawing the line there, Angelica. I'll open the Java Lava until Betty comes in, but you can explain where Chuckie is. Wait, did you even tell your parents?"

"Not exactly. That's a conversation I've decided to put off for the moment. I figure they'll get the idea when they notice I didn't come home last night."

"You're cold, Angelica, you know that?"

"Don't you start too! Finster said the same thing!"

"Maybe we have a point then?"

"Maybe. . ." Angelica pondered. "Look, are you gonna go open the coffee house or what?"

"Alright, I'll go. But just so we're clear, I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for Chuckie."

"Gee, thanks Tommy. Isn't blood supposed to be thicker?"

"Bring him back in one piece, then we'll talk. Hey, can I at least say hi to him?"

"He's sleeping now. Call my cell phone tonight, you can talk to him then."

"What time?" Tommy asked.

"Eleven. I'll try to have us stopped somewhere."

"I'll call you then."

"Oh, and Tommy?" Angelica asked.

"Yeah?"

"Chuckie says 'thanks." She grinned to herself, shutting the phone and closing the connection.

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As Tommy hung up the phone, his brother stood in the kitchen doorway, shaking his head. "What did you let her talk you into this time?" Dil asked.

"Nothing big. She just asked me to go downtown and open the Java Lava." Tommy explained.

"Not that I'm sure I even want to know, but why would _Angelica _want you to open the coffee house?"

"I'll tell you on the way." Tommy sighed.

"I don't recall agreeing to do Angelica any favors!" Dil waved his arms in front of him.

"You're not." Tommy smirked. "You're doing it for me."

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Chuckie Finster woke up to the sun shining in his eyes sometime after 7:30 that morning. He blinked furiously, his eyes trying to adjust to the light. He had to remove his glasses to scrape the crust that hard formed in the corners of his eyes. He let out a squeak when he didn't recognize his surroundings, but slowly his mind booted and he remembered getting into Angelica's car and driving all night with her.

"Morning, Chuckles." Angelica smirked as she negotiated the interstate. "Have yourself a nice nap?"

"Where are we?" Chuckie asked.

"More or less on the same road we were on before you dropped off. Only about a hundred miles farther." Angelica shrugged.

"I don't get it, Angelica. Don't you ever sleep?"

"Of course I sleep!" The blonde scoffed. "When you're a senior in high school, you just learn to do without from time to time. It's not like I've never pulled an all-nighter before, you know."

"Why would you do that when you have school the next day?"

"Term papers. Partying. Just for the hell of it. Geez, Finster, live a little, will you?" Angelica snapped, covering her mouth for a yawn.

"Ha! I knew it! You are tired!"

"I didn't say I wasn't tired. You just learn to deal with it, is all. But I am starving, what do you say we get us some breakfast? We passed a sign that advertised some places coming up in a few miles."

"Well, I didn't want to complain, but I am sorta starving."

"Then you should've said something!" Angelica shook her head. "Honestly, Finister, I'm a woman of many talents, but I'm not a mind reader! Speak up for yourself, will ya?"

"I'm sorry, I just. . .didn't want you to get mad."

"Alright, listen up because I'm only going to say this once!" Angelica huffed. "As much as it pains me to admit the truth, I can't get very angry on this trip, now can I?"

"You can't?"

"We're going to be stuck with each other for the next few weeks! So we have to get along. Why do you think out of all of you geeks, I invited _you _to come! I mean, who else would-" Angelica's rant was cut off by the sound of a Beach Boys classic. _And she'll have fun, fun, fun til her daddy takes the T-Bird away. . . _"Ah, crap. Get that, will you Finster?"

"Get what?"

"My phone!" She shook her head in frustration.

"Where is it."

"It's in my handbag. Check the floor. I think I tossed it down there when I stopped earlier."

Chuckie unfastened his seatbelt and began rummaging around until he found a pink shoulder strap. Tugging on it, he produced the fabled accessory and unzipped it, finally producing Angelica's cell phone. Feeling as though he were doing something wrong, he opened the musical object. "Um, hello? Angelica Pickles' cell phone. Charles Finster speaking." Angelica did her best not to groan. "Hold on, please." Chuckie covered up the mouthpiece with his hand. "Angelica, it's for you."

"Well of course it's for me!" She yelled. "I'm a little busy here! You know, trying to keep the car on the road and all. Take a message!"

"Oh. Right. I knew that." Chuckie nodded. Angelica immediately began to regret her earlier comment about having to get along. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Pickles. Angelica is driving right now. Can I take a message? Oh. Hang on, I'll ask her. Angelica?"

"What!" Angelica roared.

"Your mom wants to know where the hell you are." Chuckie's eyes widened.

"Tell her I'm a couple hours out from Nevada. And that I'll be fine because you're with me to make sure nothing happens."

"Right. Mrs. Pickles? Oh, alright. Charlotte. Yes. Angelica says to tell you that we're a few miles outside of Nevada and that she's fine. She says that I'm here to protect her so there's nothing to worry about. Uh-huh. Okay, let me tell her. Angelica? Your mom says to come home right away!"

"Tell her I'll come home when I'm ready and hang up." Angelica sighed.

"I can't just hang up on your mom! That would be rude!"

"Oh for God's sake!" Angelica grabbed the phone. "Look Mom, we'll talk about this when I get back, all right? I know what I'm doing! I'll call you when you've had time to calm down and we'll discuss this rationally. Goodbye, Mom." Angelica snapped the phone shut, then held in a button on the side to shut it off.

"Angelica! That was awfully cold!" Chuckie scolded her.

"Sometimes you just have to know how to deal with parents. It's no big deal." Angelica sighed.

"But I could never do that to my dad!"

"Of course you couldn't! You're not me." Angelica said coyly.

"How do you do it?" Chuckie asked. "How come you're so distant? Do you not get along with them?"

"It's not that. It's just, you know, apron strings." She tried to explain. "Don't get me wrong, it's just, well, I've had them doting on me for as long as I could remember. And I like it. But when you get to be my age, it starts to become a little, well, embarrassing. You mean with them always worrying about you."

"Do we have to talk about this?" Angelica asked, clearly uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. I just thought that-"

"Just let it go, all right."

Chuckie sighed. "All right, Angelica. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Yeah. I know." The blonde nodded, turning on the radio. "Don't worry about it. Come on, let's go get something to eat. This is our stop coming up."

"Hey, Angelica?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For bringing me with you, I mean."

"Do you know why you're thankful yet?"

"Not really. I'm just, well, glad I came, for some reason. I guess I don't really know yet."

"Well, you're welcome. But try to save the thanks for when you know _why _you came. Then maybe you'll have learned something about yourself."

"I don't really know why I came, I just. . .when you asked, I couldn't say no!"

"Oh, that one's easy." Angelica laughed. "I saw this on a T-shirt once. 'You can cage a tiger but you're never sure he's broken. Men are easier."

Chuckie only shook his head as the car headed into the sunrise.

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Dil stood in front of the oversized kitchen sink in the Java Lava, washing a row of coffee pots and the pitcher component of the blender that had mysteriously been left on the counter, half-full. "Hey Tommy? Not to be a downer or anything, but do you even know how to make some of these specialty coffees?"

"Not exactly." Tommy Pickles rubbed his chin, studying a chart that showed him fifty different ways to make coffee. "But how hard can it be? Chas and Betty have been doing it like forever. And if my man C can do it, I'm sure I can handle it."

"Good. Because it's almost 6 o'clock, so you're probably going to be getting your baptism by fire in a few minutes."

"I'll manage. Any ideas on the excuse front?"

"I already told you, I've got a full-proof excuse!" Dil exclaimed.

"I'm almost afraid to ask." Tommy shook his head. "All right, let's hear it."

"It's simple! Chuckie and Angelica were taken back to the alien mothership for experimentation! It's airtight! No one can prove that they weren't."

"Y'know, Dil, if Angelica was telling the truth about Chuckie going on an extended road trip with her, willingly, I might have to lend some consideration to that whole pod people conspiracy of yours. That's just about the only way I can imagine him going with my cousin."

"What if it's Angelica that's the pod person?" Dil asked.

"In that case, the aliens can keep the real one. Pod person Angelica's actually been out of my hair all summer." Tommy grinned. "Actually, the only time I've really seen her was at the barbeque last weekend. And she was kind of. . .subdued."

"I didn't much notice. I was a little preoccupied." Dil smirked.

"Listening to Susie's stories?" Tommy arched an eyebrow.

Dil blushed, waving his arms frantically. "I'm taking the fifth!"

"We should appreciate here more." Tommy nodded. "It won't belong before she's-"

"Customer." Dil grinned. "Here we go!"

Tommy gulped and ran to grab an apron, putting on his best smile. Now if only he could feel the confidence he was trying to radiate.

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"I can't believe that I let you talk me into this." Chuckie shook his head.

"Hey, this is an important lesson I'm trying to teach you." Angelica whined, not appreciative of her companion's comment. "You never know when this kind of situation may come up. But when the time does come, it's best to know what you're doing. Now, let's take it nice and slow. Put your hand there."

"Here?" Chuckie asked, fumbling about.

"No, here!" Angelica guided him, taking his hand in her own and maneuvering Chuckie into the proper position.

Chuckie gasped at the sudden contact. "I. . .I never knew it would feel like that."

"Like what?"

"It's softer than I imagined."

"Expect the unexpected." Angelic giggled. "You're doing all right. Try to get a feel for it, nice and easy. That's it, now—hey! Watch it with the merchandise, Finster!"

"I'm sorry! My hand slipped!" Chuckie apologized.

"Well don't let it happen again! This is valuable equipment, you know!"

"I'll be more careful, really! I promise!"

Angelica harrumphed, then grudgingly allowed the red-head to continue his lesson. Tentatively, Chuck grasped the nub a second time, once more getting a feel for how best to manipulate it with his palm. "You like that, don't you?" Angelica grinned, glad to see the boy was enjoying himself. Kind of gives you a feeling of power, doesn't it?"

"I never knew it could feel this good!" Chuckie exclaimed. "I should've tried this a lot sooner!"

"Wait until we get out in the desert. There won't be anyone around for miles. Then we can take it all the way."

"Are you sure? We're not going too fast, are we? I don't want to make a mistake, or mess things up, or-" Angelica stopped him with a glare before he lapsed into a total meltdown of self-doubt. She then gave him a friendly pat on the head as reassurance. "It's no big deal, Chuckie. I know what I'm doing. Remember, I've been doing this for a long time."

"I never thought I'd be saying this, but you're a great teacher, Angelica." Chuck grinned, feeling surprisingly at ease in her presence.

"Tell me something I don't already know." Angelica flipped her hair.

"All the guys back home are going to wish they were me!"

"Excuse me!" Angelica raised an eyebrow, her voice a portrait of indignation. "I've got a reputation to maintain, Finster! And you will not be telling anyone at home about this, or I'll hunt you for sport!"

"But Angelica, this will finally give me something to brag about, something to give me a little status!"

Angelica sighed, leaning back in her seat. "I wouldn't be doing this with just anyone, you know. But I figured since you were man enough to get in the car, then you're man enough to do the rest. But I'm not going to let you take me for granted."

"You think I'm ready for this?" Chuckie asked.

"As long as we establish some ground rules first. Relax, Chuckie. Your first time out can be kind of rocky, but once you get the rhythm down and everything clicks? There's no greater feeling in the world. Don't worry, when I think you're ready, I'll let you know. It'll happen sometime on this trip."

"Yes!" Chuckie pumped his arm in triumph. "Angelica, you're the best!"

"Well somebody has to teach you how to drive a stick shift!" The blonde smiled at him, opening the glove compartment and pulling out a map. "Now, according to the directions I got at the convenient store, it should only be another two or three hours until we hit the state line. But I thought we could stop for some breakfast along the way. Sound okay?"

"Sounds perfect!"

"Good. Then we start looking for some posh hotels to stay in. Preferably something upscale like a Sheraton or Hyatt or something. A day spa would be nice. Granted, it won't be like staying the Fountain Blue, or the Plaza, but it should do until we hit Vegas."

"Where do you usually stay out there?"

"The Four Seasons. It's inside the Mandaly Bay. Very expensive. And absolutely the best."

"How expensive?" Chuckie asked, already feeling a little wary.

"If you have to ask, you can't afford it."

"Oh come, on, Angelica. Even you aren't that well off!"

"No, but my parents' platinum card should keep us going for long enough." Angelica grinned, one that Chuck knew very well. She was being her usual, mischievous self. He had been right the night before. There was always some kind of angle with Angelica. Always some price to be extracted.

"Do they even know you have it?" Chuckie asked.

Angelica laughed, a bit throaty and full of unbridled glee. "Let's just say it's their graduation present to me."

"You're stealing it from them!"

"Not stealing!" Angelica protested. "They said I could use it in a real emergency. Well, this certainly qualifies! This is my last chance to do the stuff I always wanted to before college. Did you know that daddy actually has me set up for. . .for a _job _at my school! I'm not a working girl!"

"Working's not so bad." Chuckie tried to console her. "I like working at the Java Lava. I get to meet a lot of interesting people, it's a cool place to hang out with my friends, and I get free beverages whenever I want."

"I'll bet that you're favorite perk is the tip jar." Angelica smiled at him.

"It does feel kinda good whenever someone throws some money in there. But no one's ever filled it up as much as you did last night."

"Ah, buck up, Chuck. Your day will come." Angelica retained her smile, which was then broken by a yawn. "Okay, maybe I shouldn't have driven all night long. I could use some caffeine." She lifted her seat back to an upright position. "Come on, Finster. Let's get back on the road anf find a gas station that sells some coffee."

"I don't really like to drink coffee, Angelica. It makes me get the shakes."

"Okaaaay," the blonde stretched her response out, unsure what to make of that comment. How about we find one that'll sell me some coffee and you an herbal tea?"

"Can it be chamomille?" Chuckie asked.

"Uh, sure, Chuckie. Whatever floats your boat."

"Great."

"Yeah. . ." Angelica trailed off. The conversation was a hopeless dead end, and neither teenager seemed to know what to say to keep the lines of communication open. Angelica pulled back onto the road and drove hard, in search of a stimulant to keep her going for a few more hours. Chuckie struggled with himself, racking his brain for something, anything, that might make a good conversation starter. But try as he might, he couldn't think of a thing that might pique Angelica's interest. He gave up hope about half a mile down the road when Angelica turned on the radio, looking for something to croon along with.

Chuckie sighed as he looked out the window at the passing scenery. _Another squandered opportunity. _He thought to himself. He spent the next hour wondering to himself if he'd ever be able to talk with Angelica Pickles without feeling as though he were walking on eggs.

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Author's Notes

It took a whole week, but I finally found the time to update this story without seriously damaging my release schedule for _Instant Gratification_. I've got too much on my plate, and I know it, but what's a guy with all this creativity to spare supposed to do? Since I find myself unemployed once again for at least the next week or two, I should be able to keep up with both stories without going nuts. Here's hoping that all the effort I've been putting in becomes something worthwhile for you all.

So, did I send everyone's mind into the gutter with the whole stick shift sequence? I really had an absolute blast writing that, it came out just as I wanted and I really felt as though everything were clicking for me at the time. This whole chapter came out longer than I thought it would, but hey, I'm not complaining. And somehow, I doubt that you are either.

I also decided to expand on my concept to keep it interesting. While I still plan for this to be a "tight" story that doesn't bring in a lot of sweeping plots or pull all the characters in different directions, I also felt that it would be unrealistic to completely marginalize the rest of the AGU cast. Hence, I gave Tommy and Dil some time in the spotlight here. Phil, Lil, Kimi, and Susie will appear as the story goes on as well, for the sake of completion and also because as a writer I want to tackle all the characters, not just the easier ones. Although I wouldn't call any of the characters easy to write for. Chuckie and Angelica, of course, are the stars of the adventure.

Now, to put people in the mood, I've begun devising a soundtrack for this little road trip. It's comprised primarily of obscure Coldplay tracks. By obscure, I mean that they are difficult to find, not taken from albums. There is some work from other musicians going on here as well. Below you'll find a complete listing of what I have so far. Updates will come as I see fit.

Coldplay—No More Keeping My Feet On The Ground (a song about last chances and taking risks)

Coldplay—Gravity (this song inspired the title)

Coldplay—Sleeping Sun (excellent road trip music that suits Chuckie and Angelica perfectly!

Coldplay—Careful Where You Stand (this track was narrowly beat out for the title by Gravity. If I ever write a sequel, though, I expect this will be it!)

David Bowie—Space Oddity (this one will make more sense later)

The Click Five—Just The Girl (Do I even have to bother explaining this one? Listen to it!)

ATB—Don't Stop (this one really keeps me moving when my writing needs a push)

Billy Joel—Captain Jack (a song about escapism for upper class kids. I just feel that it's relevant)

Daryl Hall & John Oates—Rich Girl (maybe this one is being a little hard on Angelica, I dunno)

All Too Much—Yeah (another great road trip song. I'm expecting more to come soon)

All right, that ought to hold you all for now. I'm sure that I'll have more soon. In the meantime, I hope that you'll find it in your hearts to leave a review. I just got through responding to all the ones for the first chapter. Hopefully this story is still meeting all of your expectations, pun intended.

Want to get in touch with me for whatever reason? Send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

03/01/06

3:52AM, EST

E-mail: ranger(underscore)writer(at)yahoo(dot)com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	3. Stages

Stages

It was a typical little diner that Chuckie Finster and Angelica Pickles stopped at for breakfast, the type you would see in over half of the movies that came out of Hollywood. The word "ordinary" immediately jumped into Angelica's mind as she sat in a booth, across from her companion. Too much of her life seemed ordinary of late. There was a disconnect after graduation that was beginning to wear her down. She was Angelica Pickles. She was 18 years old. She was a high school graduate. And she had absolutely nothing to show for it except a diploma on the wall of her parents' house. She had plans to go to college and no idea what she wanted to do when she got there. She couldn't even decide on a major. At length, she had chickened out, signing up for a dubious sounding program called "Exploratory Year," which was designed to give freshman a taste of everything so they could find what piqued their interests most. But nothing seemed to jump out at her. She didn't want to be a doctor or lawyer. She didn't want to be a high-powered executive like her parents. She didn't want to be a teacher, a counselor, a therapist, a mechanic, an engineer, an accountant, a janitor, a saleswoman, or a business owner. Where was that one field that called to her, that would be a worthwhile use of her time and abilities?

Across from her, Chuckie was stacking creamers into a castle of sorts. Angelica grimaced as the castle fell over. The Finster boy sighed, pushing the small, white containers aside to examine the menu. His eyes darted upward, and he saw the blonde looking at him intently, her lip quivering in a perfect expression of pathetic. "What?" Chuckie asked, becoming worried. "Is something on my face?"

_Only the assurance that I seem to be coming down in the world_. Angelica thought to herself. "No. I was actually looking through you, not at you." She shook her head, then lifted the menu in front of her to obscure her face from view.

"Oh." Chuckie said quietly, then began to peruse the menu himself. Breakfast was beginning to sound delightful, and it didn't take him very long to settle on a simple yet hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, homefries, toast, and orange juice. It was listed as the Manager's Special, which comforted him for reasons he didn't quite understand.

Angelica, on the other hand, seemed to be having more difficulty deciding what to order. She was hungry. Starving, really. And yet, as her eyes scanned the menu looking for the right thing to stuff her face with, she noticed that each entry seemed somehow unappetizing. She dropped the menu onto the table in a huff. "It's just like college." She muttered to herself.

"I'm sorry?" Chuckie asked, not hearing her clearly.

"Nothing." Angelica grumbled. "I just can't make up my mind."

"I'm having the Manger's Special." Chuck offered.

Angelica sighed. "It's more than that. Have you ever felt like. . .never mind, you wouldn't understand."

"Says who?"

"Says me." She retorted. "Anyway, I'll just have what you're having."

"All right, what's wrong Angelica! Tell me!"

"Tell you what! There's nothing wrong with me, Finster. I'm fine, I'm just feeling indecisive this morning."

"Maybe so, but I've never known Angelica Pickles to take the path of least resistance. Something is bothering you, and I want to know what it is."

"Oh you do, huh? People in hell want water to drink, but they don't get any satisfaction, either." She huffed.

"Maybe not." Chuckie acknowledged. "But come on, Angelica. Talk to me."

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm here?"

"Fine. Do you want to know what's bothering me, Chuckie? Do you really want to know?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"I'm stressing out because I don't know where my life is going. I'm 18 years old, I've finished with high school, and even though I'm planning to go to college in the fall, I don't know what I'm going to do with my life. I'm twisting in the wind. And what am I doing about it? I'm running away to Las Vegas with one of the biggest dorks I know. This isn't like me. I'm a girl who tackles my problems and stares them down, I let them know who's boss."

"Oh, come on!" Chuckie laughed. You don't have to act that brave in front of me. I've seen you eat M&M's off the floor!"

"Oh, like you're such a rock in the midst of adversity." Angelica rolled her eyes.

"Maybe not, but at least I don't pretend to be something that I'm not." Chuck shrugged. "Anyway, I don't think that's such a big deal, Angelica. So you're feeling a little lost and confused. You're only eighteeen. It's not like you're expected to have your entire world figured out already."

"But I _do _have expectations put on me, Chuckie. I have to make something of myself, be successful. My mother raised me to be self-sufficient. And as much as I hate to admit it, some of it took. I want to do something with myself, I just don't know what. I used to think that I was best at being popular."

"You are good at it." Chuckie protested.

Angelica shook her head, saying nothing. What was the point? He was too naïve to realize how the system really worked, to carefree to notice or pay it any mind. But it didn't matter anymore. With high school over, whatever status that had been left to her was now stripped away. And everything that she had thought to be true for the past thirteen years turned out to mean nothing. It had only taken her a few days after graduation to be smacked in the face with that harsh reality. None of it made a difference. All that time and commitment put into achieving a popular status and for what? The entire house of cards fell over the morning after the graduation party. Everyone was moving on. And she was undeniably in danger of being left behind. Better to change the subject lest she have to start dwelling on matters she preferred to sweep under the carpet. "I need another caffeine hit."

"You too?" Chuck asked, covering his mouth for a yawn.

"You're not used to getting up early, are you?"

"Sometimes I have to get up early to open the coffee shop. But I don't really like it."

"I have to get up at 5:30 every morning." Angelica smirked.

"Why?"

"I look good, Finster. But it takes some work for me to look _this _good."

"I'm sorry, Angelica. I've never been very good at this." Chuckie sighed.

"At what?" Angelica asked, confused.

"Small talk. I'm not really comfortable talking about myself. Especially around girls."

"You've got to be kidding me! Chuckie, I've been pushing you around practically since Tommy was born! Are you trying to tell me that you can't talk to me!"

"Well, with you, it's more like a fear of saying something that can and will be used against me."

"Is that what you really think!" Both of Angelica's eyebrows rose in indignation. "You don't think any better of me than that? Is that all I am in your world? Someone put her to torment you? It was years ago, Finster. Get over it!"

"But you were the one who just said you've been pushing me around all my life!"

"Yeah, I did. But that doesn't mean it's the only thing I've done with my life."

"So you're turning over a new leaf now?"

"No! Geez, will you stop putting words in my mouth!"

"Ugh, now I'm all confused!" Chuckie protested.

"And this differs from the norm how?" Angelica smirked, the look on her face that to Chuckie seemed equally malicious and delicious.

"What's wrong, Angelica? You're being evasive and trying to pick a fight with me."

"What could possibly be wrong with me? Isn't this what I do, Chuckie? Isn't this who I am? Hmm?"

"All right. I'm sorry. You're right, I guess that was insensitive of me."

"Yeah, well. . .maybe I could be better." Angelica sighed. "It's not that I'm denying what you said. And I'm not saying that I want to change. I _like _who I am. But I don't know if that's what I want to be defined by. God, when did my life get so complicated? I'm not into deep thinking, y'know?"

"Maybe you're just getting old." Chuck shrugged.

"Gee, thanks Chuckie. That makes me feel so much better." The blonde rolled her eyes.

"I think maybe we both just need some food."

"You know, Chuckie, that's the brightest thing you've said all morning." Angelica cleared her throat, standing up. "Hey! Waitress! How about a little service over here!" She yelled out. Chuckie sank lower in his seat, trying to make himself invisible.

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"So let me see if I have the facts straight. . ." Betty decided that now would be a good time to start going over the details. "Chuckie and Angelica have ran off at the drop of a hat on some sort of interstate road trip. You don't know where they're going or why. And that's why you and your brother are here, working his shift. Badly, I might add." She rolled her eyes.

"Um, yeah, that sounds about right." Tommy nodded.

Betty whistled. "Oh yeah, Chas is gonna freak. What the heck is your cousin thinking!"

"If I knew that, I probably would've had a much easier childhood." Tommy laughed. "I'm more worried about what Chuckie's thinking. What could possibly make him willingly want to go on a trip with Angelica?"

"I don't know. And frankly, I'm scared to find out!"

Betty drummed her fingers on the countertop. "I don't know, maybe we shouldn't tell him the truth right away. Ease the guy into it. But I'm not much for subtleties."

"What about Kimi?" Dil piped up.

"Not a bad idea, Dil." Tommy brightened considerably. "She might know how best to break it to her dad."

"Huh? Oh, right, the Chuckie thing. I was thinking she might want to try my newest creation!"

"Aw, Dil, I told you to follow the instructions on the blends." Tommy moaned.

"But if everyone just followed the directions, how would new flavors ever be discovered?" The youth protested.

"Kid's got a point." Betty acknowledged. "What've you got?"

"Try a cup." Dil smiled, holding a small sized container underneath the spiogt and pressing on the top of the thermos. A steaming black substance poured into the cup. An aroma of licorice assaulted Tommy's nose as his brother carried the beverage over to Betty.

"It is safe, boys, right?"

"Don't look at me." Tommy held his arms up. "I had no part in this one."

"It should be." Dil nodded. "But science can always be a bit of a risk."

She pressed the edge of the cup to her lips and took a swig, deciding that bravery would be better than caution, for reasons she couldn't quite pin down. "My God, this stuff is like sticking a sugar fire house in your mouth. What'd you do?"

"I mixed every flavor shot you had into the hot water." Dil said excitedly. "I call it 'Liquid Liveliness."

"More like 'Liquid Cavities." Betty laughed. "But what the heck. Alright, Dil, if you can sell the entire pot before close, we'll pick it up as a new flavor. But you'd better set the price high. Those flavor shots aren't cheap."

Tommy chuckled to himself. "You're not trying to corrupt my brother into the business, are you?"

Dil shook his head furiously. "If I ever go into business, bro, it's only going to be so I can fund my orbital space station for alien research."

"What, so you can study aliens all up close and personal?" Tommy asked.

"No, so they can study me. I've got a lot to offer an advanced race, you know."

"Now that, I don't doubt."

"You don't doubt what?" A feminine voice asked, stepping through the front door. Three heads turned to stare at Lillian Deville. "What, do I have something on my face?" Lil asked.

"Only the look of someone who's been burning the candle at both ends." Betty muttered to herself. Though he refrained from saying anything, Tommy was inclined to agree. While Lil didn't exactly appear gaunt or pale, there were undeniable dark circles under her eyes which marred an otherwise lovely face. But whatever the reason, she seemed to hide her condition well.

"Have you been having trouble sleeping, Lil?" Tommy asked.

"More like I've been having trouble finding time to sleep." Lil grumbled, helping herself unknowingly to a cupful of Dil's latest creation. "Between summer courses, homework for summer courses, volunteer work, driving school, and two part-time jobs, yes, you could say that I'm spread a little thin."

"You know, we do still have two more years of high school. You don't have to cram everything into one summer." Tommy explained.

"What can I say? I have a dream."

"A dream?"

"Yes. A dream that two years from now, I'll be spending my last summer at home, doing absolutely nothing."

"It still seems like you're killing yourself for six or seven weeks that are a couple of years away. By the time September rolls around, you'll be thinking of school as a well-deserved rest."

"Trust me, Tommy, I already do." Lil groaned, sipping her drink. "Hey, what's up with this? New blend?"

"Why, you like it?" Betty asked.

"The taste is a little overpowering, but it's making all my aches and pains go away. Either that, or I'm just getting delirious from the stress." She gave a weak smile. "Got any more?"

Dil leaped in triumph. "Oh, I'm sure I can whip up more anytime you like."

Lillian arched an eyebrow. "Am I to understand that you're the one who made this?"

"Well, y'know, I don't like to brag, but-"

"Okay. Maybe I suddenly don't like it as much."

"Hey! No take backs!"

"Fine, whatever." Lil yawned, then drained the rest of her drink in three large gulps. "Just have one ready for me in a little bit. A big one. Right now, it's time for my forty-five. . .make that forty minute nap in the back. Then I have to get up for my little league volunteer work. Goodnight, everyone."

Tommy sighed "Um, Lil? It's only 10 o'clock. In the morning."

"Well, it must be nighttime somewhere." Lil called as she passed through the door leading into the back rooms."

"So what?" Tommy asked. "Does she have a cot back there or something?"

Betty nodded. "Yeah. She says this way, she can be closer to all of the different places she has to go. She wouldn't even have time to catch a nap if she went back home. And even if she did, chances are that her brother would probably keep her up. Anyway, this still doesn't tell us what we're gonna do about Chuckie."

"Oh, I think I have an idea." Tommy grinned. "Just wait until tonight, and we might just be able to sort this whole mess out."

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Chuckie stared at the speckled ceiling of the wood-paneled motel room, lying awake in his bed as he had ever since Angelica had woken him up nearly half an hour ago. It was nearly eleven o'clock at night, and he had just woken up. He had protested the ludicrous schedule to Angelica, only to have a blindingly obvious fact pushed back into his face. They did not want to be traveling through the Nevada desert during the daytime. As it was, they were getting a late start, but it was entirely too late to do something about that. Angelica had been in the bathroom the entire time, no doubt showering and primping. He had only caught the briefest glimpse of her when she woke him. Angelica without her makeup and perfected hair and high end fashions. He suspected that he hadn't been meant to see anymore than he did. He was actually grateful for what he did get. It wasn't that he had some sort of desire to see Angelica without her mask, rather more like he was very grateful for the reassurance that the blonde was just like everyone else. She wasn't perfect after all. Angelica was intimidating enough as it was. The idea of her being larger than life was almost too scary to comprehend.

She chose that moment to emerge, wearing a large white bathsheet that covered her body so well that only her hands and feet seemed to come through. She immediately walked to her suitcase and began searching for an outfit, which took her a lot less time than Chuckie would've expected. She also tossed her cell phone in her companion's general direction. "Here, Chuckie, call Tommy's house while I finish getting dressed. Then you can shower if you hurry."

"Are you going to take forever in there?"

"Honestly? No. If we linger around here much longer, we won't have any travel time. I'd like to get to Vegas within the next day."

"Can we?"

"Only if we hustle. Now quit stalling me!" Angelica huffed, shutting the door of the bathroom behind her and leaving Chuckie alone again. He sighed, then picked up Angelica's cell phone and put in a call to Tommy's house. His friend must have been expecting the call, because he answered on the first ring.

"Angelica?" Tommy asked anxiously on the other end.

"Um, not last I checked." Chuck responded.

"Chuckie!" Tommy exclaimed, happy to hear from his best friend. "Are you okay?"

"A little tired, but not too much the worse for wear." Chuckie explained.

"I can't believe this. Why did you decide to go on a road trip with my cousin of all people?"

"Well, she made it seem like a good idea at the time." Chuck defended himself.

"Oh come on, C." All those hours cramped up close and personal with Angelica, it's only a matter of time before she kills you!"

"I don't know, Tommy, she's actually been pretty good so far. I can tell you that something's bothering her, but it's not like she's angry or upset. It's more like. . .I don't know. But there's something different."

"Are you trying to tell me that Angelica is being nice?"

"Not nice exactly. But less like she usually is. I haven't really minded being around her, except that I don't really know what to say half the time. No matter how nice she is to me, we still don't have very much in common."

"I thought you just said that she wasn't being nice." Tommy chided.

"You know what I mean." Chuckie huffed.

"I dunno, C. When it comes to Angelica, it's pretty hard to know what she means."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But so far, this has turned out pretty well. It certainly doesn't compare to anything else I've done."

"You know, your dad is worried sick." Tommy dropped a bomb on the red head.

"Dad! I didn't even think of letting him know where I was all day!"

"Kira isn't too happy with you either. Actually, I promised I'd put us on three way with them."

"I'd rather not get yelled at in front of you." Chuckie hesitated.

"Well, do you promise to call your dad as soon as we're finished?"

"No problem, Tommy."

"Good. So anyway, besides your folks being upset and you having an interesting time, what else is up? Can you tell me where you're heading?"

"Las Vegas." Chuckie said with a hint of wonder in his voice. "I've always wanted to go there."

"You have?" Tommy scratched his head. "I never knew."

"Well, okay, maybe I didn't either." Chuck admitted. "But Angelica's really sold me on this one."

"I can't say that I've ever been myself. But it does sound pretty exciting. Just be careful out there. Oh yeah, and bring back a lot of souvenirs. And some stories."

"A souvenir might be all you have to remember me by, my dad is going to ground me for so long when I get home."

"Aw c'mon, it won't be so bad. Think positive."

"I'm positive that I'm going to be grounded for like the rest of my life." Chuckie sighed.

"Now you're just being depressing. What about Angelica? How's she doing?"

"I dunno. I saw her getting dressed a minute ago."

"Ah, geez, I really hope you didn't mean that literally!" Tommy moaned.

"What! No! She came out of the bathroom, picked out an outfit, and went back in!"

"Well that's not how it sounded." Tommy shook his head.

"Sorry. Freudian slip?"

"Sounds like a pretty serious one to me."

"Try not to read _too _much into it, Tommy. I mean, we all-"

"Hey, Finster, get your ass in the shower, will ya?" Angelica yelled from the bathroom as she opened the door. "I want to hit the road the second your butt is dried and dressed!" She emerged, clad in a green skirt dotted with circle patterns. She wore a bright red top with spaghetti straps and her hair pooled behind her, a style similar to her mother's, only angled downward.

"Um, Tommy? I think I'd better get moving."

"C! Don't forget to call your dad. I'm not joking."

"I promise I'll call him as soon as we get back in the car."

"All right, I'll trust you. Hook me up with Angelica, will you?" Tommy asked.

"Sure. Talk to you later?"

"You'd better believe it! I want daily reports Mister!" Tommy laughed.

"Nice talking to you too, Tommy." Chuckie rolled his eyes. "Hold on, I'll get Angelica." He laid the phone on the bed. "Angelica? Tommy wants to talk to you."

"Well that's good, because I want to talk to him too. Now hurry it up in there!" Angelica gave the boy a slight push and he stumbled into the bathroom, catching himself on the sink. Seeing as how he hadn't fallen, Angelica just shrugged and pulled the bathroom door forward, shutting him inside. She then sauntered to her suitcase, pulled out her makeup bag, and set to work on making herself look truly beautiful, holding the cell phone between her cheek and shoulder. "Hi, Tommy. How's every little thing, hmm?"

"A lot better knowing I don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to open the Java Lava."

"Yeah, thanks for covering this morning Tommy. Chuckie really appreciated it."

"Is that so? Because I don't think he even knew I did it. He certainly didn't thank me, which is very unlike him."

"Huh. I must've forgotten to tell him." Angelica sniffed, applying some sky blue eye shadow.

"Cut it out, Angelica. You're being obnoxious!" Tommy accused her.

"Am I?" She responded in a voice that indicated her participation in this conversation was an afterthought.

"So what's your plan? What are you planning to do to Chuckie?" Tommy insisted, becoming angry.

"Like I've already told you, nothing. Sometimes a road trip is just a road trip, Pickles."

"Not with you. I'd bet my life on it."

"I wouldn't if I were you. You might end up losing it. Listen, Tommy, as hard as it is for you to believe, I just needed to get away from it all. I took Chuckie with me because he can be pretty high strung. He deserves a first class vacation, and I was in a position to give him one. How does that make me wrong?"

"Wanting to do something nice for someone else doesn't make you wrong, Angelica. But you should've cleared things with his parents first. What were you thinking, leaving without telling anyone? That was reckless and irresponsible! Not to mention there's the little fact that you aren't exactly known for your kindness."

"Just because I'm not often nice doesn't mean that I'm always. . .cold, as you're fond of putting it. Don't stereotype me, Pickles. I could fill the Marina Trench with things you don't know about me!"

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." Tommy backpedaled. "It's just, y'know, Chuck is special to me. He's my best friend. And I worry about him."

"Well stop it!" Angelica growled. "Look, Tommy, I promise. Chuckie will be fine. He's a big boy. Bigger than you, if not as brave. Nothing is going to happen to him."

"I don't know, Angelica. The two of you out by the desert, alone together at some roadside motel. . .people are going to talk!"

"Yeah? Well those same people are also going to die if they so much as think about it! Or need I remind you that I'm your cousin. Til death do us part." She laughed. "And then some! We're family. Your friends and lovers will come and go, but you'll _always _be stuck with me."

"Thanks for reminding me." Tommy sighed. "I'd almost forgotten." He goaded Angelica.

Angelica ignored the comment, going straight for the jugular. "And as my cousin, that means it's up to you to defend my honor in my absence. So if you hear even a hint of smarmy suggestion, I'd better find out you came running to my defense. Or else when I come back. I'll introduce you to a nightmare world of pain. Got it?" She asked, all trace of amusement having disappeared from her voice.

"Come on, Angelica, you don't have to threaten me. We may have our differences, but you know I wouldn't let someone talk like that about you."

"You'd better not! Or like I said-"

"I know, I know. Nightmare world. It's nice to feel the love, let me tell you."

"You know, I think I'm just going to go before I'm overcome with the urge to pound you, Pickles!"

"Yeah, I miss you too Angelica. Call back soon, okay? Tell Chuckie I said good night and good luck."

"Right. Catch ya later." Angelica shut the phone, letting herself fall backwards. She let out a sigh of contentment and relief, listening to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom where Chuckie was showering. Why had she wanted him to come with her, anyway? Was there a deeper reason? No, there couldn't be. It was just a simple matter of no one else being available. Her circle of friends was small. She was not truly popular, and she had problems dealing with people who annoyed her. And just about everyone annoyed her. It was an immature way of behaving, perhaps. It was an awkward position where she did know better, but not _how _to do better. Did she even want to? "Finster." She rolled the name around on her tongue, recalling countless instances over their childhood when she had gotten the better of him. He was such an easy mark when they were kids. And despite the fact that he was kind of a sad sack, sometimes, she took pride in some of the work she had put in on him. She only hoped that he would become somebody after she was gone. It was a strange sensation, but she actually cared. She didn't want to see him pushed around. After all, that was her job. Grinning to herself, Angelica stood up, walked to the bathroom door, and started banging on it. "Move your ass, Finster! You're making us late!" She heard a startled sound, followed by a thud, and wondered if the boy had managed to trip while in the shower.

"I'll be out as fast as I can!" Chuckie cried frantically. The sound brought a grin to Angelica's face. She still had the touch.

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Author's Notes

This chapter took me a bit longer to write. I wanted to try a few new things and thus there was a lot of thought that went into this. I decided to start something of a subplot with Lil, which may end up being the source of much speculation. I was originally planning on doing a phone conversation between Kimi and Angelica, but I decided to hold off on that one for a chapter or two. Because I don't want this story to be an epic, I find myself doing a lot of thought where it's concerned, trying to figure out what is important for both character and plot development. I decided that I didn't want it to be a flat out CA story because I find there are things that I want to explore come the ending.

Anywho, sorry if you've all been waiting on this. Thanks to everyone who reviews, it always makes me feel special. And to those who are waiting for an Instant Gratification, it's coming! This Monday, I mean it. I already have some great ideas for the next chapter, I'm excited about it! So don't despair.

Everyone should have responses to their reviews in their inboxes by the time this shows up at FFN, so there's something to be happy about. And, uh, suddenly, I realize that I just can't think of a whole lot to say this time out. But hey, that's okay. It means that almost the entire word count went into the chapter proper, right?

Ok, you all know the drill. I love hearing from the readers, so don't be shy. You can reach me in a variety of ways. Check out my e-mail address below or through my bio page. My AIM information is also listed below, and of course, there are those glorious things called reviews that give me a reason for living day in and out. Send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to

Lord Malachite

03/10/06

4:11AM, EST

E-mail: Asukaphile26


	4. Towards Dawn

Towards Dawn

The road ahead is lonely. Endless sand and rock stretching out under a night sky, the moon and stars bearing witness above. Finster is using up the minutes on my cell phone plan having an awkward conversation with his father. And me? I'm in the driver's seat. In control. That's where I always am. It's where I belong. Here comes Angelica Pickles, Lady of the Night. I've been sleeping by daylight, which probably isn't good for my complexion. But I just can't bring myself to care. What's wrong with me lately? It's as though a part of me is broken. Something isn't firing correctly. Things aren't running smoothly. This isn't who I am. I don't have these kinds of identity problems. I'm self-sufficient. I'm cunning, devious, resourceful, ruthless. I don't ask other people for help. If I can't make myself better, then I make everyone else worse. Am I losing it all? That feeling I get, creeping up my spine whenever I look into a mirror? My eyes catch the specter of myself in the rectangle of glass hanging in front of me. When did I start looking so haunted? How did you come to this, Pickles? Where's that feeling that I used to live for? I used to be graceful and charming, confident and in control. I knew how to play the game and no one could beat me at it. I was unbreakable, unstoppable. People feared me, and rightfully so. I'm the girl who gets what she wants and I don't care who I have to go through in order to get it. I've been on top of the world for so long. And now it's just. . .gone. Or maybe it's never been there, and I've only been fooling myself. It's a strange feeling. My whole life, I've been large and in charge. I can get to the front of the line, take whatever I wish; but I have to endure the looks from everyone else. They never bothered me before. Why should they start now? Maybe I've been hanging around that Susie Carmichael too long. I'm developing a conscience. God help me. What am I becoming? When all is said and done, who will I be? Have I blurred the lines on myself? Created a difference between what I want, and what I need? Or did I just start settling at some point? Who will remember me when I leave? Will he be the only one?

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Chuckie sighed as he flipped Angelica's phone closed, looking haggard.

"You're dad was pretty upset, wasn't he?" Angelica asked, never taking her eyes off the seemingly endless road ahead of her.

"He was pretty steamed, yeah. At both of us. I kept trying to tell him this had nothing to do with you. I'm here on my own, I know that much. I. . .I wanted to come. I just wish I knew why."

"Don't worry about me, Finster, I can take care of myself. I'm not beholden to your dad. Now my folks, that might be another story."

"Is everything going to be okay?" Chuckie asked. "For both of us, I mean."

"I don't know." Angelica shook her head. "I'm honestly not sure if everything has been all right or not for a long time now."

Chuck twiddled his fingers in front of him, apprehensive about speaking his mind. But at length, curiosity bested caution in the battle of wills. "I knew something was bothering you, Angelica. I just wondered if you were ever going to let it out."

The blonde drummed her fingers against the steering wheel, unsure whether she should tell him or not. She wasn't the type of girl who talked about herself, unless it was self-promotion. Admitting that she had a problem was among the hardest things she did in life. She didn't even like to do that in front of her own parents. "Hey, Finster. What do you think I am, hmm?"

"I don't know, Angelica. You've always, well, been a lot of different things to me. An acquaintance, a bully, a savior, an inspiration, a monster. . .we don't exactly have a normal relationship."

"Tinker, tailor, solider, spy, eh? Hmm, I guess that sounds like me. It's just, I feel like something is missing. Maybe I am a bully, I'll put my hand up for that one. And maybe I am dominant and overbearing and, and always determined to get what I want. That doesn't bother me. I don't apologize for who I am. But, don't you ever think that I'm more?"

"More? I don't know, Angelica. I guess I've never really thought all that hard about it." Chuckie pondered.

"Well start pondering then!" Angelica growled.

"You used to bug me a lot when we were little."

"Yeah." Angelica grinned. "Wasn't it great?"

"Maybe for you!" Chuck protested.

"Oh, come on, you're not really going to hold a grudge against me, are you? You were still just a baby."

"And thanks to you, I still get nervous around oatmeal to this day!"

Angelica darted an eye in his direction. "Please don't tell me that you still harbor some kind of sick paranoia to the Quaker guy."

"I hardly slept for a week that time you told me he was moving in next door!"

"You're hopeless, Finster!"

"So you keep telling me."

"No, really, I mean it. You are one hundred percent, grade A, certified hopeless. Hope? Finster? Nope!"

"Gee, and here I thought you said you were going to be nicer to me." Chuckie sighed.

"Maybe I could be nicer to you, if you weren't always acting like such a milquetoast!"

"Hey! I am not a. . .whatever it is you just said."

"Yeah, right." Angelica snorted. "Just forget I asked, Chuckie."

"See, now you're being all confrontational again. Why?"

"Well it's who I am, isn't it?"

"Sometimes." Chuckie acknowledged, then revised his thought. "Often. But I also know you well enough to know that you're not really as bad as you make yourself out to be sometimes. You're not this bad, Angelica. Now are you going to tell me what's wrong, or do I have to beat it out of you?"

"Beat it out of me?" Angelica cocked an eyebrow, then began laughing. "You couldn't beat something out of me if you tied me to a chair and put on a set of brass knuckles!"

"Not the point." Chuck dismissed her insult.

"Fine. If you want to know the truth, I'll tell you. Lately I've been asking myself, you know, if this is it." Angelica tried to explain.

"If what is it?"

"Me! You know, there comes a time in your life when you start trying to figure out who you are. What you're going to do with your life and all. The kind of stuff I've never really sat down and given any serious thought to."

"Gosh, Angelica, I guess now that you mention it, I haven't given all that much thought to it either."

"Perfect. The blind leading the blind." Angelica rolled her eyes.

"'I see,' said the blind man to the deaf-mute." Chuckie said off-handedly. Angelica shot him a blank expression, one she knew that had a way of making Chuckie very uncomfortable. "Heh heh, old joke." Much to his chagrin, Angelica did not release him from the depth of her gaze, and the road ahead was straight. "I know. I'm hopeless."

"Thank you." Angelica chuckled happily, returning her eyes to the road, which comforted Chuckie greatly.

"But I am worried now." Chuckie moaned. "What am I going to do in life, Angelica? Susie can sing, and Tommy loves making movies, and Lil can probably at least get a soccer scholarship to college next year. But what do I have to offer?"

"Hey, we're talking about me here!" Angelica interjected. "At least you still have a whole year to go before you make the big move to college. My future's bearing down on me like a freight train and I don't even know what it is yet. But if I don't figure it out soon, I'm going to be swept under it!

"All right, well, let's take a look at this rationally." Chuckie proposed. "What do you enjoy doing?"

"Well, let's see. I like shopping. And going on dates. As long as the guy isn't a total loser." She quickly amended. "And going to concerts, getting my hair done, clawing my way to the top of the pecking order, and of course, pushing you guys around usually brightens my day a bit." She smirked.

"And that's it?"

"Um, yeah, I guess that about covers it."

"It's not exactly much to work with, is it?"

"Are you going to help me or are you going to nitpick everything!" Angelica growled.

"But what about skills? Haven't you ever had a job?"

"A _job_!" She made a gagging sound. "Chuckie, please, I don't do work. I have people who do that sort of thing for me."

"Then how do you get all your money?" Charles asked.

"I get a sizeable allowance from my parents. But only until after I graduate college. Mom said something about teaching me to network, whatever that means." She dismissed the notion almost outright with a flick of her hand.

"Angelica, maybe that it!"

"Maybe what's it?"

"Your mother! Why don't you ask if you can intern with her or something. Find something that you like and that lets you utilize your talents."

"Are you suggesting that I work with my mother?" Angelica's eyebrows shot upwards to a record height. "She's always bossing me around at home as it is. You think that I went to be under her authority all day long as well?"

"Oh, c'mon, your Mom doesn't push you around."

"Says you! She's always telling me to make my bed and clean my room, or to do something for myself. I keep telling her that we wouldn't have these problems if she would hire a maid like I asked, but no, she just won't listen."

Chuckie decided to change the subject before it became too frustrating for him. "What about the things that you like? C'mon, Angelica, there must be something you can imagine yourself doing with your life."

"Well, now that you mention it, I can picture myself lounging around on the French Riviera, soaking up some sun and scoping out the hotties." She grinned, already picturing herself in her best swimsuit, sipping an exotic drink and wearing pink Lolita sunglasses.

"Be serious!" Chuckie moaned.

"Geez, you're no fun at all." Angelica whined. "All right, already, fine. I do like singing. Maybe I could get a job doing commercial jingles or something."

Chuck winced, not relishing the idea of telling Angelica not to quit her day job. But an inspiration struck him. "I've got an idea for you."

"This should be good." Angelica muttered under her breath.

"Why don't you try working the fashion angle? You're a snappy dresser, you love shopping, and your folks have contacts. I'll bet that they could help put you in touch with the right people. Organize fashion shows!"

"Fashion shows, eh? Well, I've got to admit, that does seem to show some potential. But I've always thought I should be the one lighting up the runway."

"I don't know, Angelica." Chuckie hesitated. "You might not want to consider a career that's going to be grounded in your looks. What will you do after your twenties?"

"That's not a problem for me." Angelica scoffed. "I plan on being young forever."

"Come on, Angelica, be serious."

"I am serious! I'm always serious, you knucklehead! Except when I'm not."

"This isn't working."

"No," Angelica smirked, "_I'm _not working. And I'm rather proud of that. It's not everyone who makes it through high school without having to work, you know."

"You must be so proud." Chuckie rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." Angelica stuck her tongue out at him, focusing on the road. "Why don't you just-" Her train of thought was broken by the musical interlude of her cell phone. Angelica's eyes darted to the clock, it was nearly 1:30 in the morning. "Geez, what is this? 'Late Night With Angelica?"

"Actually, I think this is when 'Last Call With Carson Daly' normally comes-"

"Will you just answer the phone already!" Angelica growled, cutting off the discussion.

"Okay, okay. Sheesh, no need to be such a grouch." He picked the phone up from the center console and opened it. "Angelica Pickles' cell phone. Charles Finster speaking." His greeting elicited another groan from the driver. "Kimi? I'm fine! Yes, really. How about you? Oh. Ohhhhhh. Yeah, I talked to Dad about this already. I'm fine with it, it was my idea to go. Well, I guess it was a little irresponsible. But I'll be fine. No, she doesn't drive like a maniac. Besides, there's no one else on the road out here to run into. Well, no, I haven't really thought about that. We won't break down, Kimi. Why? Because the car's in good condition and Angelica's folks pay to have it serviced regularly. No, I am not a glutton for punishment. I'm not a masochist either! Who teaches you these words, Kimi? Right. No! What! Well maybe I just don't like being badgered by my own sister! No, I would not rather talk to mom. You're enjoying this, aren't you? Don't play innocent with me, this is your revenge for all those times I butt into your personal business. What? No! This is a lot different! Because you're my little sister and I'm supposed to look after you! It's not the same, Kimi. Is not! What! I can't put her on, she's driving! Do you want us to have an accident? What if we--hey!" Chuckie was cut off as Angelica grabbed the phone out of his hand. The blonde kept one hand on the wheel and mentally adjusted her speed so she wouldn't have to shift unless the road conditions changed.

"Hello, Kimi." Angelica said through her wicked grin, her voice taking on that too pleasant mentality that usually meant trouble for the next person in her sights. "And how's my second or third favorite Finster doing, hmm? My, my, Kimi, such language. I'm going to have to revise my opinion of you. Oh come now, I know you were taught better than that. There, isn't that much nicer? Now, I'm sensing that you're not happy with me. Why is that? Uh-huh. Mmm-hmm. Ah, I see. You Think that I've kidnapped your brother, is that it? Well, that doesn't make very much sense, now does it? Who would possibly pay to get him back? Really girl, leave these types of things to someone whose qualified. Oh, you don't like my attitude? Well then, that's your loss. You see, Chuckie likes me for who I am. Isn't that right, Chuckie?"

The red-head gulped audibly, knowing he was about to make a powerful enemy, whatever he said. But the choice was obvious. He was going to be living side by side with Angelica for some time to come. "Um, sure?" Chuck said, his words coming across as more of a question than a statement. But the important thing was that it was exactly what Angelica wanted to hear. "That's a good boy." Angelica grimaced, patting Chuckie on the head lightly. "So you see, Kimi, we really don't have very much to talk about. Unless of course you'd like to apologize. Right. I'm going to take that as a no, then. Yes, yes, you'll get Chuckie back. When? At the end of our adventure, of course!" Angelica chuckled loudly before adding one last thing. "Maybe even alive." She then slammed the phone closed, holding in a button on the side of the base that would shut it off completely. "You see, Chuckie?" Angelica asked, tossing her phone into Finster's lap. "You just have to know how to talk to people."

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Hundreds of miles away, Kimiko Finster pushed the hangup button on her cordless phone, shouting in frustration in spite of the hour. It took a lot for her to become truly upset. There weren't many people or things in life that got to her, but Angelica Pickles had a way of getting not only her goat, but the milk that went with it. It was a gift the blonde seemed to have, the ability to drive other people crazy. Still, she was not about to be outdone by Angelica so easily. She picked up the phone and dialed another number, having to wait a great many rings for an answer, given the lateness of the hour. But persistence happened to pay off.

"Hello?" The disembodied voice on the other end of the phone answered.

"Tommy?" Kimi asked, with the hope in her voice that her prayers were about to be received.

"You know, I've been getting that a lot lately." Dil said between yawns.

"Dil?"

"In the synthetic flesh."

"I'm sorry to bother you so late, it's just, ugh, your cousin is driving me crazy!" Kimi cried out.

"Yeah, I've been getting a lot of that, too." Dil chuckled. "You worried about your brother?"

"How could I not be, when he's in _her _clutches? It doesn't make any sense! There's no way that she would be on a road trip with him for the heck of it. It just isn't Angelica! She's up to something, I just know it!"

"Well, maybe she is." Dil shrugged. "So what? It's not what you know, it's what you can prove. That's why all those scientists still won't acknowledge that Bigfoot is real!"

Kimi sighed. Dil's logic could often be tedious, seeing as how it rarely made sense to anyone other than him. "So, is Tommy going to get a handle on her, or what?"

"Angelica?" Dil blinked, rubbing the back of his neck. "There's an hold Vulcan proverb, Kimi. 'The only people who are really able to handle the Klingons are the Klingons."

"Um. . .right." Kimi rolled her eyes.

Dil leaned backwards across a chair at the kitchen table, letting his head hang upside-down a few inches from the floor. "Nobody ever takes me seriously."

"I'm still trying to figure out what you just said." Kimi explained.

"Now that one I get all the time!" Dil shrugged, still smiling.

The comment elicited a laugh from Kimi. "Tell Tommy to drop by the coffee shop tomorrow, okay?"

"Aye, aye, cap'n." Dil gave a salute, despite the fact that Kimi couldn't see him through the phone. Kimi shook her head, trying not to laugh again. "Goodnight, Dil."

Dil stretched out his hand in a Vulcan gesture. "Love long and party." He smiled, pushing a button to disconnect the call, then setting the entire thing on the floor. "I wonder if I can glide this thing back to the cradle with the power of my mind?" He wondered to himself.

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Lillian Deville sat at a worn wooden desk, scribbling away at a lab report beneath the stark light of a naked bulb. A small bottle of No Doz lay on the table next to her, which she had been making clockwork use of, interlacing the stimulant with sips from Dil's latest creation, which was definitely a big hit with her. Anything that kept her feeling both alert and able to face another hour was a godsend in her book, plain and simple. And Dil's crazy concoction did the trick. Every time she took another hit, she could feel the aches in her bones, brought on largely by sleep deprivation, begin to subside. Enough for her to finish her homework and reward herself with three and a half hours of sleep, that was all she asked. She was beginning to wonder why she had burdened herself with such a seemingly excessive load. Maybe Tommy was right. Maybe this wasn't worth it. It had been so long since she'd been able to spend any time with her friends. When was the last time she had kicked back and just been Lil? This was her summer of sixteen, she should be enjoying it more. But she wasn't, and that was beginning to bother her. She knew that she should be staying out late with her friends, going on dates, throwing a party, being an irresponsible teenager. But instead, she was building a life of obligations. Was she growing old before her time? Perhaps. But she knew one thing for sure. It was time to take a stand. She closed her notebook and shuffled out of her clothes, leaving herself in just a T-shirt and modest underwear. Chemistry could wait. Tonight, she was getting some sleep. With a stretch and a yawn, Lil padded over to the light switch and flipped it into the off position. The overhead light flickered out, and the storeroom was bathed in the pale moonlight which wafted in through the window. She melted into her cot, its embrace akin to that of a lover. A coo passed her lips as she stretched out, her eyes fluttered twice, and she was gone.

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And maybe this is all there is. Why not? I have plenty of time to examine my life on a trip like this. I'm just. . .all alone. There's nothing else, nothing more. How many years have I spent like this? No one to share the game with. I stay by myself. But it's what I wanted, isn't it? Or is it only what I've convinced myself. It's so much work, trying to fight them all. They don't make it easy, not at all. I've worked hard at this for as long as I can remember. And now I sit here wondering if it was all worth it. Was this really what I wanted? I have no choice. It's my reality now. I'm alone. Just like I wanted. I have this habit of taking the better parts of myself and using them to feed the worst parts. I don't know why. But it's what I do. I'm not proud of it. I know I have a problem. I know that people don't like me. And yet, I find that I just can't get myself to change. This is who I am. We are who we are. Is it my fault that I was born this way?

When did everything in my world have to become so complicated! This isn't how my life is supposed to be. I've always kept thing manageable. My principle concerns were finding the next outfit that made me look hot, staying one step ahead of Savannah, and making sure I had the right guy on my arm for the social event of the season. I had everything figured out. Now. . .I find myself doing a lot of stuff on the spur of the moment. And the farther out we go, the more I find myself having to stifle that annoying voice in the back of my head that tells me it's all a mistake. I know it might be a mistake. But this might also be my last chance. Is it wrong to just want an answer to that burning question? Who is Angelica Pickles? And like the sunrise itself, it's beginning to dawn on me that I'm waiting for someone else to provide an answer to that question. And there's no guarantee that I'll like what I hear.

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Author's Notes

Welcome back to _Gravity_. I apologize that it's taken me so long to provide an update. Rest assured that this was not intentional. I've just been going through a lot of stuff lately, not to mention going to a lot of stuff, so I haven't had as much time to write as I'd like, not by a long shot. I finally sat down this weekend and decided that enough is enough. It was high time that this story saw an update. And here it is.

I shook things up a bit this time, I'm really trying to let this story turn into what it would like to. So I've added some inner angst for Angelica to underscore things a little. I also wanted to broaden things a bit more, so I've decided to start picking up Lil's story as a regular installment. I also threw Kimi into the mix this time because I just couldn't in good conscience leave Chuckie's sister out of the equation for another installment, it just wouldn't have been good writing. Because the Chuckie/Kimi dynamic came up so frequently in All Grown Up, I felt it was important to get her take on the situation. I don't know how often we'll be seeing her, but I have a funny feeling this wasn't the last time she'll pop up. Given the fact that I've already written the end of this story, I can guarantee it.

The best news is that the story is developing very nicely. At the moment, it's moving along exactly as I would like it to. I'm satisfied with the pace, I'm fond of the character development, and most of all, I feel like I have better control over where it's going. It's a unique experience, writing this right alongside _Instant Gratification_. Since IG as an enormous epic and this is a much tighter story, it's like I'm constantly shifting gears as I move between the two. Everything about the two works is different, but that's what I'm liking. The last thing I want to do is sit back and be told how everything I write is the same. Every time I decide to start a new story, be it a poem, a one-shot, an ongoing story, or an all out epic, it's because I feel that I have something to say. Sometimes more than others. Even when I just feel a call to write something out of love for certain characters or a series, I want there to be a point. If I'm going to take the time to write it and you are going to take the time to read it, then by the time we both reach the ending, there should be some kind of point to the entire exercise, don't you think? Okay, maybe I'm just starting to analyze things too much now, I really don't know. What I do know is that I find it enjoyable, knowing that I can now upload something for you all to enjoy. Already I find myself wondering what the legacy of this story is going to be. I've also found that I have a habit of wanting to work intimately with strong yet vulnerable women, which I'm sure says quite a lot about me.

And now I'm going to get out of her before I say too much, but it's probably too late for that already. I'm moving right along to some review responses. I like to develop a personal relationship with all my fans, because you're all part of my works, not just faceless masses. So please, don't hesitate to comment. In fact, you can send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

04/03/06

4:49AM, EST

E-mail: ranger(underscore)writer(at)yahoo(dot)com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	5. Wake Up Call

_Wake Up Call_

The rock formations that loomed in the distance were accentuated by the light of the rising sun, which was rapidly reflecting an increasingly blinding glare as the sun rose higher and higher over the horizon. Angelica had already donned her pair of pink Lolita sunglasses, but Chuckie was forced to make due with the overhead shield. Howling desert winds whipped small clouds of sand across the road at intervals, but it was nothing to be concerned about. Still, the heat was dry. Angelica knew that the two of them would probably have to stop at a convenience store to stock up on water before hitting the strip. Which was probably just as well; Chuckie wasn't looking his best already. The pallor of his skin seemed paler than usual to her. "Feeling a little warm, Finster?" Angelica asked as they continued to drive into the morning sun.

"How much longer until we get there?" Chuckie asked, panting a bit and turning up the fan on the air conditioning.

"Maybe an hour." Angelica revealed, giving her Acura a little more gas. "I'm going to gun it a bit, because it's going to get really hot really fast. I told you not to linger so long in that damn hotel!"

"I didn't linger! Angelica, you snuck into the bathroom and turned the hot water off while I was in the shower!"

"Only to make you get your ass in gear! I have to do everything for you!"

"You mean you have to do everything _to_ me!" Chuck rebutted.

"Whatever." Angelica rolled her eyes. "Just admit that you'd be lost without me."

"I'd be safer without you is more like it!"

"Geez, what crawled up your pasty butt this morning?"

"I'm tired, Angelica. My sleep cycle is all out of whack!"

"That's the whole point of going to Vegas, Chuckie. You're supposed to stay up all night, painting the town red. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I think I left it back at the coffee house." Chuck said meekly.

"Come on, Finster. For once in your life, try not to be you."

"I can't help who I am!"

"You don't have to change who you are. Just try not to be so much like yourself, that's all."

"Okay, now I'm confused. Was that supposed to be an insult!" Chuckie asked.

Angelica smirked, reveling in the boy's naivete. "If you have to ask, you'll never know."

"I should've known." Chuck shook his head.

"Got that right." Angelica's voice was smug, belying the innate feeling of superiority she seemed to manifest in these situations. Once again, Chuckie found himself ponder why he put up with the blonde. The fear that what she had said in the Java Lava was right, that she had indeed made him. It might explain his otherwise inexplicable penchant for striving to please a girl who usually gave him nothing but grief. She was just so hard to deny, even when his instincts told him to run screaming in the opposite direction. Some sort of innate pheromone she possessed, allowing her to lure flies into her spider web. And he was probably going to end up being her next dinner.

"Why do I always listen to you?" He whined.

"Because I'm older and I know better." Angelica stated simply. Of course. Things were always simple for her. She never had to pay any attention to the destruction left in her wake. Or even those that were loyal to the end for her, like Harold. Now there was a guy who carried a torch for Miss Pickles like no other. No matter how many times she reminded him of his chances, Harold always remained true to Angelica in his heart. But Chuckie doubted that the blonde appreciated it, or even noticed. It wasn't in her nature.

"Why not Harold?" Chuck asked, already regretting the consequences that this conversation might lead to.

"Excuse me?" Angelica asked, indicating her displeasure through the tone of her voice.

"Why me, instead of Harold? Don't you owe him for all that he's done for you?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but no, I don't owe Harold. I gave him an old pair of my pajamas last year and he's been happy ever since. Says that he sleeps better too. I just hope that he isn't sleeping in them." She muttered at the end of the sentence.

"Don't you think it's kind of cruel to indulge his fantasies? Aren't you just giving him false hope?"

"What is this, some kind of lame-o guilt trip? It's not like I've ever inferred that there's a future between us. Harold's a nice guy, maybe too nice for his own good. But there's nothing between us at all except for a friendship of sorts. At least, not on my part. Maybe I do use him, sometimes, but that's what he wants. He makes himself available to me. So what if I don't love him for it! Is that my fault? Am I supposed to take pity and get involved with every guy that has a crush on me?

"No, and this is different. Maybe it's not your fault, exactly. But doesn't it make you feel bad?"

"It doesn't make me feel anything." Angelica shrugged.

"Nothing at all?" Chuckie gasped.

"Nope. How Harold lives his life, that's his business and no one else's. And if he wants to spend it fantasizing about me, well, it's his prerogative. Anyway, I'll be going to college soon, and a different one than him. I'm sure he'll meet someone there sooner or later."

"But what if he ends up all alone? Someone should so something for him, and I think that someone should be you!"

Angelica growled, vowing not to let herself explode all over the boy so early in her trip. The effort took considerably more willpower than she cared to admit. "That's the problem with you, Finster. You can't save the world, you know. The best you can do is try to get through life without going crazy. Enjoy yourself while you're here. I always do."

"I'll never understand you, Angelica. I just know it."

"And I'll never understand you either, Chuckie. Maybe that's the whole point. Have you ever met someone who really understands you? Lots of people will claim to, but the simple fact is that the only person who can understand you is you.

"That's a pretty bleak outlook."

"No, it's a truthful outlook. Contrary to what you might think, I know what I'm talking about."

"Most of the time, you're too busy trying to fake us all out to be bothered with the truth."

"Truth." Angelica huffed, rather unimpressed. "Truth is subjective, Chuckie. It changes all the time. Everyone's truth is different. I mean, look at me. You're afraid of me, I know that. I can smell it all over you. And you should be afraid. You know what I can do to you. And yet, you're still here with me. Now why do you suppose that is, hmm? Because I'll bet it's something you just can't resist. You may be a fraidy-cat extraordinaire, but you like to be scared, don't you try to deny it. That's what kees you coming back for more. That's why after all these years, you've never made me stop. It's that feeling you get at the height of your fear, when you sense it passing and you realize that you're still alive. And that's why you're here now. For that special blend of Angelica torment that you've known and loved since the day we first met. Am I wrong?"

Chuckie didn't say anything for several moments. Even entertaining the possibility that Angelica could be right was almost too much for him to bear. He swallowed twice, then said the only response he could think of. "I thought you just got through saying how no one else can understand me but me. Now you're trying to say that you understand me!"

"I never said that I understand you, Chuckie. I just know you. Seventeen years I've put into you. I know you better than you know yourself." Angelica smirked at her companion's predictable response. "Don't look so surprised. You know just as much about me. My strengths and weaknesses. The difference between us is that I use them. You don't. And that's why I'm driving the Acura, and you're riding shotgun."

"Is this your way of telling me that you're in the driver's seat?" Chuckie rolled his eyes.

"Of course not. It's my way of saying that I'm taking you for a ride." The sun began to shine in Chuckie's eyes, and he shut them tight in an effort to block the rays out. How he managed to survive the ride into the city limits remained a mystery to him for some time. The thing he remembered was being nudged by Angelica, whose expression betrayed her dichotomy. She seemed both relieved and annoyed when he opened his eyes, a cross between a somewhat motherly concern and a too cool to care attitude. The blonde thrust a bottle of water towards him, pressing it lightly to his forehead. "Drink it slowly." Angelica stated. "Unless I miss my guess, you've got a mild case of sun poisoning. Just take it easy and you'll be fine. I got it once when I was nine."

Chuckie stared uneasily back at his companion. Angelica looked more worried than she was trying to sound. She took his hand and placed it over the bottle so she could release it, then rummaged around in a plastic bag. "You have no idea how hard I had to look to find a pair of snap-on sunglasses that would fit these frames of yours! You'd better not lose them, Finster!" Angelica growled, snatching Chuck's glasses off his face before he could reach. She snapped the tinted lenses in place, then pushed the glasses back over his eyes, hooking the stems behind his ears. "I got you a strong sunblock, too. We'll take care of that as soon as we get a hotel room. Don't worry. You'll be fine." Chuck blinked at her twice, but didn't say anything. "Hey! You answer me when I'm talking to you!" Angelica insisted, sounding more worried than annoyed. "Don't go to your happy place on me, Finster. Stay with me. I've got the air conditioner up as high as it'll go. It won't be much longer until we're there. Just hang on, okay?" Angelica started the car and blasted the air conditioning, pushing all of the vents onto the red-head. "Just say something, Chuckie." Angelica never let up as she backed her car out of the space.

"Feel sick." Chuckie managed to squeak out.

"Just hold on, okay?" Don't drift off on me. I'll tell you a story. Like when we were kids. So, there once was a beautiful princess named Angelica. The kind and queen loved her very much, and when she grew older, they appointed her a group of knights and maid-servants to do whatever she wanted. Her knights were known as Sir Thomas the Brave, Sir Phillip the Socially-Challenged, and Sir Charles the Hopeless. They lived in the castle with their fair and benevolent princess and her ladies in waiting—Lady Lillian the Elegant, Lady Kimiko the Fierce, and Lady Susie the Righteous. Susie liked to put on singing shows in the courtyard. She was good, but everyone in the royal court knew that Princess Angelica was even better. But of course, it wouldn't be proper for a princess to perform in public, so Angelica was content to let Susie be the star. Sir Thomas was fortunate enough to be related to the royal family, and his squire, Dylan, along with his best friend, Sir Charles, enjoyed the grace and generosity of the princess' company.

But their peaceful lives were interrupted by a fierce enemy, who vowed to storm the castle and topple their kingdom. The royal knights feared not their enemies, for their loyalty to the princess knew no bounds, and—CHUCKIE!" Angelica shrieked, noticing that the boy had nodded off, which she recalled was not good at all in his current condition. She slammed on the brakes for an oncoming red light, stopping only to breathe twice. She grabbed the neglected water bottle and furiously unscrewed the top, pouring some of the water over his head. "Stay with it Finster!" She yelled at him. I can already see the Camelot from here. Only two casinos past that and we're there. Angelica slapped his face a few times, making his eyes flutter open. "You stay awake, Chuckie. I saw enough crap working as a Candy Striper. You are not going to be another one of those bad memories. Do you hear me!"

Chuckie nodded weakly at her. Angelica frowned. He still looked pale and somewhat shaky, but at least he was awake. "Okay, I get your point. No more stupid fairy tale stories. Tell you what. You promise to stay awake, and I'll tell you the story about how my delightful little cousins decided to settle a score with me three years ago by making off with a very special drawer of mine. The little monsters. I don't know where they picked up such treachery."

Despite his week condition, Chuckie managed something of a hard stare. "Okay, fine. So maybe I've set some examples and built up some resentment in him over the years. But I'm still their cousin, and cousins don't steal each other's underwear drawers!" A sound that resembled an explosion came from Chuckie, and Angelica had to glance in his direction to confirm that he was laughing. "You think that's funny!" Angelica did her best to sound annoyed, but anyone who knew her well would've known it was an act—she wasn't intense enough to be truly upset. "They took the whole drawer! I mean literally! I came home and the entire drawer was just missing from my dresser! There was a sticky note from Tommy on my mirror with his blackmail demands." Angelica flicked the right turn signal on and crossed two lanes of traffic, causing several cars to honk their horns, drivers making rude gestures at her as she passed. But in the end, they made room, and Angelica pulled into the Mandaly Bay complex, speeding around to the entrance for the Four Seasons hotel. "I never did get my favorite two-piece swimsuit back." Angelica muttered as she drove up to the valet parking stand in front of the lobby, underneath the canopy. "Okay, we're here. Now, this is the hard part. It's going to be really hot out there. It's only a few steps to the door. Can you make it?"

"Do I have a choice?" Chuck croaked.

"Not really." Angelica said quietly. "Don't do anything yet. I'll come around to your side and get you." She threw her door open, climbed out, and shut it just as quickly behind her. She left the engine running to keep the air conditioning on, then walked to the other side of the car. Angelica opened the door and depressed the button to release his seat belt. "Come on!" She grunted, pulling the teenaged boy to his feet, trying to ignore the oppressively hot air. It was slow going, but she eventually prevailed. Chuckie staggered forwards, and Angelica struggled to keep him balanced, hooking his armed with hers and marching him towards the lobby doors. He tottered a few times, but Angelica kept him upright. She was beyond relieved when the industrial strength air conditioning inside the building washed over them. Angelica dragged the Finster boy to an elegant sofa positioned in front of a vent. She allowed him to half hall onto it, but Chuckie seemed to possess enough strength to maneuver himself into a lying position. "Stay here and get frosty. I'll get you a damp cloth." She returned to the car, fetching her pocketbook and the keys, tossing the latter to the valet, who was already unloading her luggage from the trunk. She then ran back inside and ventured into the ladies room, grabbing a handful of paper towels and running them under cool water. She then returned to her patient, applying them to his forehead. "Rest up. I'll get us a room."

Angelica went to the front desk and waited her turn stoically. Being a hotel with an average room charge of five hundred dollars a night, Angelica was not forced to wait for ever long. "Welcome to the Four Seasons." A serious yet cordial looking steward greeted her.

"I'd like a parlor room for two, please." Angelica smiled.

"And how long do you plan on staying?"

"A few weeks. Or until our luck runs out, whichever comes first." She opened her purse and slid her wallet out, handing over the platinum card that she had "borrowed" from her mother. She reminded herself several times to sign the invoice as Charlotte Pickles, yet she still nearly brought the adventure to a screeching halt when she started out her signature with an A instead of a C. Angelica recovered quickly, transforming the offending letter with some illicit forgery skills that she had used on more than one report card while growing up. She smiled like a Cheshire cat as the slip was placed in the drawer. Another crime successfully pulled off.

Two keycards were placed in front of her, and she took them happily. She gratefully accepted the help of a bellhop, and the young man eagerly set out to fulfill her request. Slinging her pocketbook over her shoulder, Angelica approached her patient, flashing him a mischievous grin. "There, we're all checked in. Now all we have to do is wait for the transportation I've arranged. So, how are you feeling, hmm?"

"Queasy." Chuckie sighed.

"Isn't that like normal for you?" Angelica asked, spreading her arms out.

"Very funny." Chuck shot her a dirty look.

"I thought so. Ah, your chariot awaits." Angelica inclined her head as the bellhop from earlier came up to them with a luggage trolley.

"You must be joking." Chuckie shook his head.

"Well what did you expect! That I was going to carry you up the stairs to our room? You're not my bride, Finster!"

The nameless bellhop scratched his head. "Okay, now I'm confused."

"You're confused?" Chuckie raised an eyebrow. "I have to deal with her almost every day of my life!"

"Wanna walk home?" Angelica threatened. "Because believe me, I'd be happy to arrange for it!"

"Can we just go to the room now?" Chuckie moaned, climbing onto the cart. Both men did their best to ignore the angry blonde woman's rants as they made their way towards the elevators.

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Chuckie opened the door before Angelica had even retrieved her keycard from the slot, and immediately ran into the room, sprawling himself out on one of the double beds. Angelica sighed as she rummaged around in her purse for her wallet again, favoring the bellhop with a ten spot. "Thanks for the lift." She smiled, entering the room. "Bring up our luggage and I'll double that for you." And she shut the door with a wink. She immediately turned her attention to Chuckie, who was obviously still recovering. But he looked much more comfortable on the bed. "Take off your shirt." She said bluntly, moving over to the wide window and pulling the huge drapery tight, so that it blocked out every inch of sunlight.

"Um, I don't usually sleep in the nude Angelica."

The blonde grimaced, resisting the urge to throw something at him. "You'd damn well better not! Because you sure as hell won't be doing it while you're staying with me! I need to put the sunblock on your back, Chuckie. Don't get strange ideas. Yeesh!"

"Oh. Right." Chuckie sighed nervously, but then slowly complied with her wish, but he still felt self-conscious.

"Okay, now sit up. This isn't a tanning parlor, you know." Angelica removed the sunscreen from her pocket book and crossed the distance to the bed. She sat on the edge of it, and Chuckie turned his back to her. Angelica quietly squeezed the lotion into her hands and worked it into her companion's back, grunting in frustration as he kept leaning forwards. "Finster! If you keep leaning away from me, I can't do this!"

"I'm sorry, but you keep pushing me with your hands, so I keep moving!"

"Well for once in your life, why don't you push back, hmm?" She arched an eyebrow, then continued her work, a little more forcefully than she had before.

"Hey, that feels kinda nice." Chuckie's voice trailed off. . .

"Oh, please. Massages cost extra, Chuckles."

"How much extra?" He leaned his head back and shut his eyes.

Angelica moved up to his shoulders and rubbed the lotion that remained on her hands into them. She lowered her lips next to his ear, grinning. "More than you'll ever be able to afford." She whispered, then gave him a good push with her hands, knocking him onto his side. "Here." She said simply, tossing the bottle of lotion next to him. "I think you can manage to handle the rest."

"Um, right. Sure." Chuckie said in a measure of quiet relief and disappointment.

"Good. Now, after our luggage gets back, I'm going to go find out if the spa is as good as I remember. You just stay here and get some rest. Now that we're inside, it's safe enough for you to relax. If you really need me, use the phone on the nightstand and call down to the spa, okay?"

"All right. Thanks for the nursing, Angelica. I feel a lot better now." Chuckie said sheepishly, feeling a bit awkward at the situation but glad that he was well again.

"I'm not your nurse, Finster." Angelica said darkly, a voice that frightened Chuck. She didn't sound annoyed or frustrated, she sounded. . .foreboding.

"Don't be silly, Angelica. It's a little hard to believe, but you actually took care of me. You'd make a great nurse! Thank you."

"I told you not to call me your freaking nurse!" Angelica yelled angrily, causing poor Chuckie to wince. Her fists clenched at her sides.

"I'm sorry, I only thought-"

"I don't care what you thought!"

Chuckie swallowed, realizing that Angelica was being very serious. "What's wrong, Angelica?"

"Leave it alone." She said coldly, turning her back on him and opening her suitcase, removing some of her outfits and organizing them for the closet in an effort to busy herself.

"But I want to know. If it bothers you, I'd like to understand."

"I won't tell you again." She threatened. "Get off it. _Now!_"

"No." Chuckie surprised himself, knowing he would likely learn to regret the decision.

"_No!_" Angelica asked, unable to believe her ears. She ran over to the bed in a rage, confronting the red-head with her eyes. "Where the hell do you get off saying no to me!"

"Where do you get off being so angry over nothing?"

"I'll be angry if I want to be!" Angelica yelled, piercing the boy with her eyes.

"Fine. Be angry. But you tell me why, Angelica!"

"Why should you care!"

"Because I do! I have to live with you on this trip, remember!"

"Okay, time out. Since when did you grow a backbone!"

"Tell me."

"Fine!" The blonde hollered. "You want to know why, I'll tell you why! Not that I expect you to understand! It was over two years ago. I used to be a volunteer at the hospital."

"I think Tommy's mom mentioned that once. . ."

"Are you going to interrupt me, or are you going to listen!"

"Sorry. . ."

"Now, as I was saying. . ."

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"Hey, Candy Striper!" The voice rang in Angelica's ears. It was disembodied and unfamiliar to her. Perfect. Who was going to take time out of their day to yell at her now?

"What?" Angelica asked, turning around and trying to make eye contact with the person who had called out for her. It didn't take very long. A doctor was walking towards her, looking a bit the worse for wear, moving briskly yet sullenly as though the wait of the world was on his shoulders.

"What's your name?" The doctor asked, sparing her the briefest of smiles. He was young, and clearly looked lost, yet he was determined to give off an air of false bravado.

"Angelica." She said flatly. Great. Some kid out of college who was probably only calling her out to try and hit on her. Not that she had a problem with doctors, but she didn't have the patience for a boyfriend in her life at the moment.

"How old are you?"

Angelica rolled her eyes. This guy certainly wasn't one to waste time. What a perv. She waited a moment before answering, savoring the disappointment she knew he would feel when he realized that she was underage. What an ass. Did he think that because he carried a clipboard, he was suddenly God's gift to women? "Sixteen." Angelica smirked, waiting for him to realize that he'd just made a fool of himself.

"Perfect. Consider yourself drafted."

"Excuse me?" Angelica asked, not quite sure what had just happened.

"I need your help. We're drowning out there. You heard about the accident?"

"With the school bus that flipped over?" Angelica asked. "Yeah, are those kids okay!"

"Some are. Not enough. Anyway, the ER is overflowing with the cases coming in from that one."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Angelica dropped her arms to the sides. She wasn't an especially compassionate person, but she certainly didn't walk around, wishing disaster on children.

"Gets worse, I'm afraid. That accident has the main roads backed up from here to Timbuktu. Most of the nursing staff for tonight can't get in. And there aren't enough of the current shift nurses to go around. I need you to fill in."

Angelica felt like a deer in the headlights. "Um. . .not that I don't want to help, but I'm afraid I'm not qualified to be a nurse. I'm not even in a student nursing program."

"Oh, we don't expect you to treat anyone. That'd be a lawsuit waiting to happen. I just need you to walk with me and carry stuff, get the files, maybe fetch me some coffee when I'm crashing." He smiled weakly.

"Well. . ."she pondered the request for a moment or two before deciding. "Alright, I guess I could do it. There's only so many pillows I can fluff in a day anyway."

"That's the spirit. Alright then, you're with me."

"Okay, Doctor. . .um, what's your name?"

"Doctor Aiken. But you can just call me Cliff. Trust me, we won't have time for more syllables than that."

"All right then, Cliff, lead the way."

OoooooooooooO

An hour later, Angelica was beginning to regret her decision. It wasn't Cliff. He was great. Or at least, as good as anyone could be in his situation. It was the things she was seeing that were starting to get to her. This was the side of a hospital that no one should have to see. No wonder people often looked up to doctors as gods of a sort. She didn't know how someone like Cliff could go through this five or more days a week. It was the reality that was getting to her. Every bed she stood next to alongside the doctor was different. Angelica did everything that was asked of her. She fetched the charts, she carried things, she held tubes in place. It was the things she didn't want to do but couldn't help that haunted her. The way the patients would study her as the doctor made his decisions—ordering tests for this one, prescribing medications for others, racking his brains for the cases that had him stumped. And why shouldn't the patients stare? They were at the mercies of a man who literally held their lives in his hands. And who was she? She was just some stupid high school kid who couldn't even follow what the doctor was saying half the time. And yet their eyes questioned her anyway. And the all asked her the same thing. _Am I going to die? _But she didn't have the answers. She was just a kid, playing nurse for the night, unable to do anything more than offer sympathy.

It was the ones that slipped away that she couldn't stand. Three times already, different patients had coded and the doctor had to run off to some part of the floor to try and save them. They were always as far away as humanly possible. And it was always a futile effort. He hadn't managed to save even one of them so far. And Angelica was useless. She was no nurse. She wasn't even a Candy Striper in this kind of environment. She was just a face in the crowd, bearing witness to death and being powerless to stop it. She was useless and she knew it. But what else could she do?

Cliff's pager went off again, and she knew by now that it probably meant another code. Another life they would arrive entirely too late to save. Another soul that she would watch depart from this life while the doctor tried futilely to bring him or her back. But such was her duty this night. She took off at a run with Doctor Aiken, hot on his heels as he made his way to the ward where the next crisis awaited him. She thought about how cruel it seemed to leave him in charge under these conditions. The poor guy was just an intern. Why weren't there enough residents and attendings on hand? And then Angelica remembered the accident, and realized where they all were. She couldn't blame them. Too many children in intensive care. Hope was needed there more than anyone else. These were the halls of the damned.

As Angelica, and Cliff himself likely presumed, they were once again too late to make a difference. But Aiken was a good doctor. He went through the motions anyway, trying to ignite the spark of life where there was none. Angelica watched dutifully, wondering if she was her more for his own support than anything else. She kept him in line, because he couldn't fall apart in front of her. Dr. Aiken took a deep breath as he stood over his stubbornly lifeless patient, cutting his losses on this one. She could feel him pausing, drawing air into his lungs very carefully. "I'm calling it. Time of death, twenty-one thirty-six." He offered Angelica a very weak smile, trying to cope any way he knew how. "You get to go home in twenty-four minutes. I'll try not to kill anyone else in that time spread."

Unfortunately, those hopes did not hold true for either of them. One of the patients on the east wing had a sudden heart failure, a young man who appeared to be in his twenties, not much older than the doctor himself. Angelica and Cliff ran as fast as they could, but hope had already waned by the time they arrived. "Help me with this defibrillator." Dr. Aiken pleaded.

"What if there's a lawsuit?" Angelica asked.

"Don't worry about that now. If there's any trouble, you were just a volunteer following my orders. You didn't know any better. It's me they'll come after. Please, I need your help!"

Angelica hesitated for only a moment, then gave in. "What do I have to do?"

"Just use the controls to set it for the charge I tell you, it's simple. I'll take care of the rest."

"All right." Beads of sweat poured down Angelica's face as she watched the doctor go to work, steadily increasing the power output as he ordered. But despite the doctor's best efforts, he couldn't bring the dead back to the world of the living.

"Come on, damn you. Come on, COME ON!" He screamed at last, practically throttling his deceased patient before realizing that it wouldn't do any good.The doctor seemed to refuse to accept another death. He stood there quietly, not doing anything for over a minute. And then, finally, Angelica saw him do something she had never seen anyone in a hospital do before. Cliff quietly called a time of death, took a deep breath, and picked the defibrillator up, throwing it as hard as he could, sending it flying across the room and smashing into the wall. With an aura of quiet anger, he departed the scene, and Angelica quietly followed, not having any idea what she was supposed to do now. The doctor took several quick turns, and Angelica struggled to keep up. Finally, she saw him enter a room at the end of an alcove, and she was able to grab the door just before it shut. A bit wary, Angelica opened it and stepped inside. The room was fairly dark, despite the overhead light. She found Dr. Aiken furiously rummaging through different bottle until he found the one he was looking for.

"Cliff?" Angelica asked, and the doctor's eyes widened as he seemed to notice her for the first time.

"Angelica." He said faintly, twisting the bottle open and pouring several of the pills into his hand. "Call it a perk." He said, tossing the pills into his mouth and swallowing them without the aid of water.

"What are you doing?"

Cliff laughed bitterly. "Having a conversation with my old friend, Mr. Codeine."

"You shouldn't do that, Cliff."

"Probably not. But it takes the edge off. Listen, kid. No one should've seen what you did tonight. So forgive me if my conscience is weighing on me. I never intended to put you through this."

"I. . .um. . ." Angelica suddenly realized what he was talking about. All night long, she had been blocking it out as a defense mechanism. Not just the deaths. But the looks. The pleas and the accusations of the dying. The people desperately looking to her for some kind of help or salvation, clinging to the false hope that some Candy Striper still in high school could save them because it was all they had left to keep them going. And the rising body count. Never before had she seen death so intimately, watched the lives nearly drain out of people. Five of them. And she was nothing more than their witness. Someone to stand there and see them move on to the afterlife, give some kind of approval to their passing. Would anyone even remember who they were? If she and Cliff hadn't been present, they would've died alone.

"Here." Cliff said, taking her hand and placing three of the pills into it. "I'm afraid this is all I can do for you. They won't make you forget, I'm afraid. They just. . .make it more bearable, I guess. I'm sorry, Angelica. Maybe I'm just a rotten doctor after all. Look, why don't you get out of here. Just forget about tonight. I'm sorry." Dr. Aiken gently pushed her out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She wasn't certain, but she thought she could hear crying from the other side.

OooooooooO

In the lobby of the hospital, Angelica had removed her uniform, silently folding it into a square so she could carry it easily. She took a sip of water from the fountain, then winced as she heard shouts of alarm coming from a nearby hallway, and a harried looking doctor seemed to take off at top speed. Cliff's relief, maybe. She wasn't there, but she could already here the struggling breaths, the frustration, the inescapable death that loomed over the entire building like a specter. Never had she felt so useless, so hopeless. Without giving it another thought, Angelica popped the pills that Dr. Aiken had given her and sent them into her stomach with a few sips of water. She walked outside the lobby doors and trotted down the steps, looking around. She hadn't called her father to come pick her up. She didn't want to see him. She didn't really want to see anybody. She just wanted to forget about this entire night, wake up, and become Angelica again. She heard the sounds of an approaching ambulance siren. More lambs to the slaughter. How many more would lose their lives this night?

Angelica took off at a run, not paying any mind to where she was going. She had no destination. She just wanted to run until she collapsed, until she couldn't think or feel anything.

"_What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh  
I was brain-dead, locked out, numb, not up to speed  
I thought I'd pegged you an idiot's dream  
Tunnel vision from the outsider's screen  
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh  
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh_

Everything began to coalesce into a gigantic blur for her. Visions of light among the dark night, cars speeding by blaring rap music from their overpriced stereos, people walking in and out of the familiar downtown bars. All of them seemed so insignificant for some reason, but then, she couldn't think of anything that seemed important to her at the moment. What did any of it matter? The American Hospital was the end of the road.

_I'd studied your cartoons, radio, music, TV, movies, magazines  
Richard said, "Withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy"  
A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth  
You said that irony was the shackles of youth  
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh  
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh_

She didn't remember coming home, or even what time it was. She couldn't even remember the trip. She couldn't remember falling onto her bed, half-crushing her cat beneath her weight. She couldn't remember falling asleep. And she barely remembered the fuzzy feeling that stayed in her brain for most of the following morning. All she remembered was pretending to go to school but instead walking to her Uncle Stu's house, where her grandfather grudgingly allowed her to sleep on the sofa for most of the day. And she remembered acting as though it hadn't happened. She remembered going back to school and acting like her usual self, convincing herself that everything was the same. And after a week or two, it was, except for one thing.

_"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh  
Butterfly decal, rear-view mirror, dogging the scene  
You smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth  
You said that irony was the shackles of youth  
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh  
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh  
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh  
I couldn't understand  
You said that irony was the shackles of youth, uh-huh  
I couldn't understand  
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh  
I couldn't understand  
I never understood, don't fk with me, uh-huh_

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"I never volunteered as a Candy Striper again." Angelica said softly, a far-off look in her eyes slowly dissipating.

"That's terrible." Chuckie responded. "Angelica, I'm so sorry. I never knew."

"You're damn right you didn't know! And I never want anyone else to know, either. It's not so terrible. People dying, that's terrible. I may not be a very compassionate person, but. . .never mind, it's getting late. Get some rest. I'll come back later."

"But Angelica-"

"Just leave it alone, Chucker." Angelica responded, then she walked out the door before he could say anything else. Chuckie was left staring after her, wondering what he could possibly say. Angelica had been right. No one could ever understand her but her.

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"_Hospitals are where they attempt to kill you without explaining why. The cold and measured cruelty of the American Hospital is not caused by doctors who are overworked or who have gotten used to, and bored with death. It is caused by doctors WHO ARE PAID TOO MUCH FOR DOING TOO LITTLE and who are admired by the ignorant, as witchmen with cure, when most of the time they don't know their own arse-hairs from celery shreds."_

--Charles Bukowski

"Notes Of A Dirty Old Man"

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

_Author's Notes_

I hope that you all enjoyed this special, double-sized edition of _Gravity_. I do apologize for taking so long to bring it to you, but there's been a ton of stuff going on in my life already. Those of you who read _Instant Gratification _know what I'm referring to, but for those who don't, my father has been diagnosed with a large, though mercifully benign, brain tumor. His surgery has been moved up, and he is supposed to have it removed this Wednesday, May 24. So as you can imagine, it's been pretty crazy around here, between my job and trying to do a lot of stuff for my family. At some point, I really needed a release. I've been pecking away at an update for this story for like close to two months now, literally a paragraph at a time. Not the most efficient way to write, but progress was made, and now, I'm finally able to publish something new.

I know this chapter is a lot different than you were probably expecting. I took a serious turn in the second half, but I had my reasons. I really wanted to get deeper into examining Angelica's motivations, or lack thereof, why she hasn't yet figured out what she wants to do with her life. So I worked to give her a scarring experience. It plays a bit serious for Angelica, I guess, but I felt it was necessary. Rest assured that the hospital material is in no way influenced by my father's condition, nor is it intended to be some kind of statement about healthcare. I just decided to use a small part of Angelica's background and make it into something more grandiose. I strongly suggest using Van Morrison's classic song _T. B. Sheets _as background music for the hospital sequence. And it certainly wouldn't hurt to locate a copy of R.E.M.'s hit _What's_ _The Frequency, Kenneth? _Which was the insert song I used near the end of that part, all lyrics written by them.

I didn't place any of the other characters in this chapter. I haven't forgotten about them, I just felt it was more important to focus on the core material this time out. You can probably expect to see something with Phil pretty soon, though, I certainly couldn't forget about him. And we'll also be seeing the adults get involved as time marches on. I have a lot of plans for this story, I feel like I know where it's going rather strongly, which definitely gives me a good feeling about how the story will turn out when it's finished.

I am sorry to have kept everyone waiting on this, I really have been trying to do an awful lot lately. Things just seem to be getting crazy in my life, it feels good to update both of my stories back to back like this. It offers me some hope that I'll somehow manage to keep going. Sometimes all we can do is our best. Thanks to everyone who's been giving me all the hope and support. It means more to me than you'll ever know.

That said, I know when to make an exit. But if you please, do me the honor of sending your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

5/21/06

3:33AM, EST

E-mail: ranger(underscore)writer(at)yahoo(dot)com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	6. Return To Form

_Return To Form_

Angelica Pickles let herself back into the room quietly, deciding to let her companion rest. He had been through a minor crisis this morning, so it felt right to help him out in his hour of need. It wasn't her normal routine, concentrating on the needs of others. But for some reason, she just...sometimes felt a little maternal around the red-head. It was a sensation that had been lingering ever since they were kids, and she had begun to assume that it would never go away. She didn't really know why. He was an easy target, that's for certain. But he was always hanging back. Maybe that was why she never fully let go of him. He had never belonged with the babies. He was older, bigger. He should've been her friend instead. The places she could have taken him, helped him meet the right people. But he always insisted on hanging back, on being a baby. And that trend had continued throughout their childhood. He was always with them, never willing to take his rightful place in the pecking order, making himself less instead of more. "I guess that's just how he survives." She muttered, letting her eyes wander towards his form as it slept on the bed in a tangle of covers, most of the light still being blocked out by the curtains. She wondered how much of her tormenting had molded and shaped his personality. A lot, she expected. Her actions, along with Tommy's friendship, had forced him on numerous occasions to face his fears and overcome them. In her own way, Angelica was proud of this achievement. He was a better person because she had terrorized him. It gave her a somewhat unique perspective. "It's just like I said, kid, I'm your Frankenstein." Angelica crossed the room to the bed he was laying on, sitting on the edge apprehensively. "And I guess that makes me partly responsible for you." Her right hand reached out hesitantly, her fingertips brushing against his hair. "You're kind of peaceful when you sleep." She grinned to herself, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. As though becoming aware of her actions, her hand snapped back to her side. "Why am I telling you this anyway?" She asked harshly, knowing she wouldn't get any response if he was awake, certainly less then that since he lay there sleeping. "Wake up Chuckie!" She called loudly, this time using her hand to shake him.

A groggy, unhappy sound emanated from the slightly younger boy as he was roused by his nemesis. "Ugh, am I home again?"

"No, you're in Las Vegas. Congratulations, Chuckie, you've survived. So far."

"How long have I been asleep?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.

"About six hours. Enough time for me to hit the pool and enjoy the spa. The sauna was good for my pores, and the Jacuzzi was to die for. Let me tell you something Chuck, if you can't unwind here, then you really are about as hopeless as they come. Anyway, some rest was probably good for you, you didn't look so good this morning. Speaking of which, let me get a look at you."

Reluctantly, Chuckie pulled the covers off of himself, revealing his pale looking body, clad only in a pair of red shorts. He was still rather scrawny and looked like someone who didn't get a lot of sun, but then, seeing the sun's effect on him from this morning, that might have been a good thing. "Do I look alright, Angelica?" He asked tentatively, not certain as to what she was looking for.

"Eh, it's kind of a relative term where you're concerned, but I don't see anything that has me too worried." Angelica reached out and grabbed the bottle of sunscreen, squeezing some into her hands to reapply to his back. "Still, I think we should keep you inside where it's cool. Besides, we can always go out at night. It's what they do here. Last time I came, my mother wouldn't let me wander the streets by myself." She rolled her eyes.

"Isn't that kind of dangerous?"

"Not really." Angelica shrugged, working the lotion into his back and shoulders. "It's probably safer to walk the streets here than back home, as long as we stay on the Strip."

"Gee, your hands feel so soft Angelica, what did you do to them?"

"One of my many indulgences at the spa." She smiled. "My mom usually gets them done too...of course, her skin isn't nearly as young as mine, so it doesn't last long." She smirked. "Anyway, I think you're going to be just fine. How's your stomach feel? Can you eat? Because I'm starving!"

"I think I might be a little hungry. I feel kind of weak."

"Probably because you haven't eaten in close to twenty-four hours." Angelica explained. "You've been kind of weak since the car ride. I never knew you had trouble with the sun, Chuckie."

"I haven't really spent a lot of time in the desert either." Chuck offered. "The last time I remember being out in one is when we all went on that big RV trip in junior high."

"Ugh, not exactly one of my prouder moments." Angelica fanned her right hand in a dismissive manner. "I think I sported some of my worst looks ever that week."

"But you had a fun time, didn't you?"

"Hmpf." The blonde exhaled through her throat. "Apparently there's some new definition of fun that I haven't been made aware of."

"I don't buy it." Chuckie smiled as she finished with his back and moved to his shoulders. "You're not that heartless, Angelica. You may talk a good game, but deep down, I know you like us."

This comment was met with the kind of uproarious laughter that wasn't often heard from Angelica Pickles. She pushed him forwards out of reflex, and his nose instantly hit the mattress. Righting himself, the Finster boy turned to see his partner continuing to guffaw with ecstasy. Chuckie immediately decided that there was something a bit cruel and evil about her laugh...and yet something beneath that which made his heart beat faster. "Laugh all you want, Angelica, but we've all been through a lot together."

"We...we have..." Angelica nodded, her words coming in between giggles. "But that doesn't mean I like you. I'm Tommy's bossy older cousin." She folded her hands in a manner that looked somewhat sinister to Chuckie. "And our families have become so intertwined that that practically makes us all related to each other anyway, in spirit if not in blood. You see, that's the thing about families, Chuckie. You don't get to choose them."

"Maybe not, but like you're so fond of pointing out, Angelica, you made me. Nobody forced you to push me so hard. You did it because you wanted to."

"Don't flatter yourself." Angelica snorted. "I did it because it was fun. You're such an easy mark, it's simply too tasty not to give you the business. You make it so enjoyable."

"I'm glad one of us found it enjoyable." The redhead rolled his eyes."

"Don't try to hold a pity party. What have I ever done to you that was so bad? Embarrassed you in front of your friends? Called you names? Let you take the blame for something?"

"You were way worse to us than that when we were little, me most of all."

"I never did anything to you that you didn't let me do. That you didn't want me to. You never asked me to stop, I told you so earlier. It's not me that you're obsessing over. It's you. Because you have to look inside yourself and figure out why."

An uneasy silence grew between the two of them as Chuckie pondered her words. They were powerful and strong and forced him to consider some things that he wasn't particularly fond of in himself. "Do you really think that's true?" He said after a minute after Angelica failed to break the silence for him.

"Chuck, does it really matter what I think about this?" Angelica massaged her temples.

"I don't know." He sighed, rolling over on the bed to stare at the ceiling.

"Then you're thinking way too much. We need to get you out of this room. The sun's going down anyway, time for you to witness the glory of neon. " She smirked, crossing over to the window and opening the tick curtains. The sight that greeted the boy made his eyes go wide. Off in the distance, the sun was setting over the horizon turning the sky a mixture of black and purple as it fell beneath the rocky vista. But the mesmerizing sight lay in front and slightly below the window—a colossal, reflective pyramid, lit up from the top as it seemed to rule over the road it connected to, which itself was aglow with flashing neon lights and spectacles the likes of which the boy had never seen. It was more impressive than any amusement park, and it beckoned to him.

"Wow…" He said with the sound of wonder in his voice, rolling off the bed and running to window to press his face against the glass. "Angelica! It's…it's…"

"Pretty cool, huh? And to think they dumped all of this in the middle of the Nevada desert. Talk about man's triumph over nature." The blonde smirked, enjoying the view herself, though it was of course much more familiar to her.

"It's like…a party!"

"Oh, you don't know the half of it. This is it, Chuckie. The shows, the restaurants, the sights...the shopping! I mean, it's no Rodeo Drive, but still…beats our backwater mall back home. And its way more exciting, you never know when things are just going to, well, happen!"

Angelica was positively beaming, and while Chuckie knew her reaction had little to do with him, he found he still enjoyed it. While he had never been particularly close to Angelica, and their paths crossed less and less as her high school career wore on, the one thing he noticed was that it was rare to see Angelica looking truly happy. There was just something different about her, something more than her antagonistic, aggressive nature. She was a different kind of girl than any other he knew. Even in his few encounters with Charlotte, Angelica's mother…the differences between mother and daughter was apparent. Charlotte was a woman of direction. She knew exactly what she wanted out of life and she wasn't afraid to run over whomever or whatever she had to in order to get what she wanted. Angelica had a similar attitude—but she lacked the direction of her mother. While she was just as tenacious and strong willed, she didn't have the same clear objectives or plan for her life. Angelica was more the type who just let her life unfold, instead of having a clear plan or goal to work towards. But then, he didn't have any serious plans for himself either. He hadn't even given college any serious thought yet. Sure, he had taken his PSAT a few months back. It had been his second time through, but infinitely more comfortable than it had been the first time, as he had Tommy, Kimi, Phil, and Lil each going through their first take on the exam. It was nice to have a support group of friends to suffer through the interminable test with, and he hadn't at all been surprised by the forty point gain.

That thought made him wonder how Angelica had fared on her own PSAT and SAT exams back when she was taking them. Angelica was never much for study. While she was by no means stupid, she was incredibly lazy—until something would miraculously motivate her to give her all and crush any who opposed her. As frightening as she could be in those moments, those were also the times that Chuckie admired her the most.

"Cosmic thoughts, Chucker?" She asked, sneaking up from behind and placing her hands on his shoulders. She grinned triumphantly as the boy was startled from his reverie by her. Angelica caught their slight reflection in the window, predator and prey, the expression on his face one of fear and confusion, yet also acceptance; though it remained largely obscured by the view outside of Las Vegas night life.

"I was just thinking of how there are fewer days ahead than there are behind." Chuckie sighed, blowing out a breath he hadn't realized that he'd been holding. I mean, for being a kid. The next school year will be my last one before I graduate."

"And I already did." Angelica added softly, her voice sounding deflated.

"So what are you doing next?" The boy asked.

"Apparently I'm going to Las Vegas with a complete doofus." She rolled her eyes, releasing her hold on him and turning away from the window. "I'm going to get changed into something more appropriate for the night, so keep your keester out of the bathroom until I'm finished."

"Okay, but what should I wear?"

"Black pants and a short sleeved button-down." The blonde replied effortlessly, opening her suitcase and looking through the ensembles. As she rejected each one, she hung it in the room's small closet, before finally smiling at the seventh outfit she had come across, a pleasing light blue blouse with a rather short, violet skirt.

"I don't have any other clothes, remember? You told me you would buy me some when we got here!"

Angelica separated her selected outfit from the others and moved the rest of them into the closet, leaving her assorted jeans, shorts, socks, and undergarments for placing within a drawer later. "Oh yeah, I did, didn't I? Well then, I guess we'll have to make that our first order of business!" Angelica paused midstep as she was headed for the bathroom. On second thought, maybe you should freshen up. Why don't you take a shower, Chuckie, and I'll change out here instead.

"But Angelica, isn't it a little late to take a shower?"

Angelica rolled her eyes, mentally biting her tongue to prevent herself from saying something mean. "Will you just trust me already? I said this city never sleeps and I wasn't kidding. Trust me, you'll see."

"But the kinds of places that will sell me clothes won't be open all night!"

"It's not a problem, trust me. Look, we still have a few hours. All we need to do is hit Caesar's Palace. Their stores will be open late enough to pick you up a few outfits. I'm the leader on this dance, alright? I know what I'm doing."

"Okay…but what about dinner?" Chuck pressed his hands together meekly.

"We'll be able to eat anywhere! There's always some place to get food. Think of how many people spend the entire night gambling! You don't think all these casinos would let the high rollers go all night without food and drink, do you?"

"I don't know, I mean, I never thought about it. This isn't exactly my scene, Angelica…"

"Oh yeah? Well, then we're just going to have to make it your scene. You need to learn to have fun, Chuckie. You can't just depend on Tommy to bring meaning into your life!"

"Oh, so now I have you for that?!"

Angelica growled under her breath, strands of her blonde hair billowing from the burst of air that escaped her lips as she reined in her temper. "While we're here, I suppose. But I am not going to be your tour guide through life, Finster. It's your responsibility to find your own happiness. Not mine. Not Tommy's. Not Kimi or your parents'. You have to decide what's right for you. All I can do is try to show you how to have fun.

"What if we don't have the same idea of fun?" He asked under his breath, wondering what he had gotten himself into. There had been trouble on this trip so far, but overall, it was manageable. And while Chuckie didn't enjoy admitting it, Angelica had been pretty decent to him. He glanced out the window again, taking in the scene of the night life below. Why was he here? What did he hope to accomplish, either with himself or Angelica, that he wouldn't have been able to do from home? And speaking of Angelica, what exactly was she trying to accomplish? It's obvious she wasn't playing a prank on him; she didn't even a big enough store of patience or a long enough attention span to keep things going for this long. But Angelica never did anything without an angle, an ulterior motive. She hadn't asked him for anything or manipulated him any more than usual, so what was her game?

"Are you going to get freshened up or what? I'm not going to walk the strip with you looking all disheveled and dumpy. And don't give me any lip because I've seen Kimi reprimand you far more over far less!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going."

"Good—oh, wait! Angelica dashed forward, running into the bathroom and rifling through the tiny complimentary bottles that were arranged on the sink. "Here! Herbal shampoo! It's time we made the red mop of yarn that you call hair live up to its potential. And conditioner!"

"Conditioner? What do I need that for?!"

"Look Charles, it's very simple. You wet your hair, you take the shampoo, you wash it, you rinse. Then you do it again. Then you mix in some of this conditioner."

"Angelica, I didn't go through this much trouble for my junior prom!"

"You didn't even go inside! You sat in the courtyard and wrote your term paper on a laptop!"

"Who told you about that?" The boy asked, beginning to get defensive.

"Harold. He said you looked pretty pathetic. He was concerned about you. For what it's worth, it worries me too. These are the events that only come up once in your life, you know. You can't make up you junior prom in summer school or something. If you let yourself miss out on it, it's gone forever."

"So what difference does it make to you anyway?" He had meant to say the words with some bite, but instead they were deflated, coming out as a sad and defeated sentiment.

"Look, Chuckie, do what you want. But if you keep passing up on every one of life's opportunities, you're going to miss out. And there won't be a second chance."

"So what am I supposed to do, be more like you?"

"Me? Face it, Finster, there's only one Angelica!"

"Thank goodness for that!"

"Ha, ha, hilarious." Angelica scoffed. "Fine, don't listen to me. I was only trying to help."

Chuck titled his head to the side, staring quietly for a few moments. Finally, he sighed. "I'm sorry, Angelica, it's just…since when do you give me advice? It just…feels really weird."

"So I figured that if I'm stuck with you for a few days that I might as well try to make a difference. If you'll stop and recall, my tutoring has served you well before. You have the power to be cool and sophisticated when you want to be. So why don't you let it out every so often? Why does it always have to be one or the other?"

"Because I don't like to move out of my comfort zone! You of all people should know that, Angelica! I've been this way since I was a toddler!"

"Tell me about it, and its wasted potential, Finster. Look, we don't have to reinvent the wheel here. All I'm saying is…try a little."

"Fine, I'll try. Just don't get your hopes up." Chuck sighed, admitting defeat.

"We're talking about you here, Chuckie. It's not as though my expectations were stellar to start with." She quipped, spinning on her heel and walking out of the bathroom. "Twenty minutes, so don't think you have all night. We've got shopping to do." The blonde commanded, shutting the bathroom door behind her.

Chuckie ran the water for the shower and began to disrobe. He shook his head as he got a glimpse of himself in the mirror before removing his glasses. "She does it every time."

"So what are we doing about our common problem?" Kimiko Finster asked as she sat at one of the Java Lava's larger tables, her circle of friends seated with her, save for Lillian Deville, who was ensconced in her extra curricular studies. Lil's mother, Betty, was following a flow chart attached to one of the coolers to try and figure out exactly which one her daughter was doing at the moment.

Philip Deville spoke up first. "Not to be harsh, Kimi, but how is this thing our common problem?" So Angelica and Chuckie ran off to Vegas for awhile. S'not like they're getting married or anything." He shrugged.

"And how do you know that? This is _Angelica_ we're talking about!"

"Which proves his point, don't you think?" Susie Carmichael interrupted. "When have we ever known Angelica to willingly associate with Chuckie, let alone want to date him? Or even anyone like him. I'm sure she has some scheme, but I think you're overreacting Kimi."

"You should have heard her on the phone!" Kimi protested. "It was like he was eating out of her hand!"

Tommy tried to rein the situation in. "I don't think Angelica has all that big a scheme. Look, I'm her cousin, I know here better than anyone here except maybe Susie. And I think she's just being her irresponsible self. She's always enjoyed doing stuff to Chuckie. I guess none of us ever stopped to wonder if he liked it too. Besides, we know they're okay, we've talked to them. Well, you guys have anyway."

"Don't make excuses for her, Tommy. " The Finster girl bristled. "It's easy for you! She's not alone with your brother for indistinguishable reasons in a city of unquestionable morality." Her breath came in huffs, and her fists clenched. "Look, it's not as though I think she's stealing him away forever. And I don't really think they're getting married. Like Susie said, it doesn't fit Angelica's M.O. But there's something we're all missing, some reason why they went off together. When is my brother so irresponsible that he would abandon the coffee shop late on a Sunday night—on Angelica's whim, no less! It doesn't add up! All I know is that they're a few hundred miles away, and whatever she's doing, Angelica's taking some measure of pride in it. I'm not just going to let her sit back and do whatever she wants. Even she isn't naïve enough to think that the world revolves around her at that level."

An uncomfortable silence seemed to pass around the table, and Kimi appeared spent, the sum force of her anger having been forced out of her. Tommy said something at last, feeling it was his responsibility. "Let me try talking to her. I'm her cousin, maybe she'll listen to me."

"Or you could let me try." Dil finally spoke up, the endless back and forth beginning to bother him. "I think I've got a pretty good handle on the situation."

"Dil," Tommy whined, "you know it can get pretty intense with Angelica."

"Yeah, but that's what makes her special. Besides, I'm not referring to Angelica. I was thinking about Chuckie."

"What about him?" Kimi asked.

"It's simple. Going through Angelica isn't going to get us anywhere. Chuckie, however, is a more reasonable guy. And if we appeal to him, maybe he can convince Angelica that it's time to come home."

"Assuming she'd be receptive to it." Susie added.

"Assuming she'd even want to." Phil clucked his tongue.

"Assuming we can even get through to him without going through Angelica." Kimi massaged her temples.

Tommy sighed. "That's a lot of assumptions to make, Dil. And even if we did get to Chuckie, we're still assuming he'd want to come home. I mean, isn't it possible that they're actually having a good time together?"

There was another brief pause, and then the table exploded with laughter, as each of them tried to imagine the odd couple. Susie had tears in her eyes. "I'll bet she's drawn a line down the middle of their room!"

"And Chuckie's barricaded himself in the bathroom!" Phil laughed, pounding the table.

"Probably holding Angelica's makeup hostage!" Kimi sniffed, feeling profoundly better about the entire situation after gaining a little perspective on the entire thing. "Thanks you guys, I really needed this."

Tommy grinned at his best friend's sister. "Hey, it's okay; we know how much he means to you. But honestly, Chuck can handle himself. He can even handle Angelica. We all know when it comes right down to it, she's all talk and bluster. We should give the guy a little credit. Would you want to be stuck on a road trip with Angelica? He must have thought he could handle it. I'll bet that by the time he gets back, he'll have so many stories to tell that we'll get tired of hearing about it."

"I hope so, Tommy. But, I think I'll just settle for having my only brother back." Kimi stood up and walked behind the counter, heading into the back room. No one followed her.

Angelica stood in front of the mirror, having changed her outfit for a night on the town. The dresser was plenty large enough to hold various items from her makeup bag, and she was now hard at work on giving her eyelashes more curl, her eye shadow already in place. There weren't any blemishes on her face, but she prided herself on a history of few zits. It wouldn't have fitted her stature in high school, and Angelica had always believed that it was worth forfeiting some sleep to make herself look her best. Satisfied with her curling, she blinked her eyes a few time, and finished her work by applying dollops of lotion to her arms, legs, and face; giving herself a somewhat enticing scent while also ensuring that her skin didn't look dry. Overall, she was pleased with herself. A day at the spa had paid off, considering she hadn't been able to take care of herself to her liking while traveling here. All in all, she looked pretty good. Probably too good, considering her companion for the evening, but Angelica didn't mind a little attention. Quite the opposite really, she craved it.

Lastly, Miss Pickles removed a clear plastic bottle from the bag, popping the cap and removing two pills. Her good pal Cliff had thankfully kept her in good codeine over the years, a little arrangement between the two of them. Angelica never talked about assisting with medical procedures she had no business being a part of, and Cliff made a bottle of codeine disappear from the hospital pharmacy, a bottle that always found its way into her purse. If she ever moved, she'd probably have to get him to start sending her prescriptions. They didn't interact much, but then, few words had to be spoken. Angelica knew Cliff was a relatively broken doctor who was just going through the motions. He cared, and he even had some skill, but he had let his demons devour him long ago and he was just on auto-pilot, waiting for that day when he would make a fatal mistake and get drummed out of his profession.

Angelica, on the other hand, didn't have nearly so difficult a life. She just had a tendency to get overwhelmed easily. Taking the pills had become something of a crutch. It was never a craving, so much as it was a distraction. Throughout senior year, she dimly remembered taking them more often than usual, but there was this difficult part of her that had really begun to hate her final year of high school. Sure, it was fun, she went to parties, she was popular, and she was reveling in being a teenager. But it was all coming to an end. And now that it had, she had no idea what to do next. Where was life going to take Angelica C. Pickles? What were her plans for the future? Her mother planned on enrolling her in college. Fine, but what did she want to study. In the end, what did she really want to do with her life? Was there even a point to any of it? Graduating high school had completely robbed her of her identity. And now that it was gone, the only person she had to turn to was the one who knew her the most. After all, she had antagonized him ceaselessly when they were children. They knew each others' strengths and weaknesses. The big difference was that Angelica was willing to use them…while Chuckie would forever be like a deer in her headlights.

Shaking her head, Angelica popped the cap on the room's bottle of Evian water, poured herself a glass, and downed her pills. Swallowing, she looked at herself in the mirror again. Still perfect. Still Angelica. Still exactly what the world expected of her. As for what she expected of herself…well, that's what the pills were for, the cure for too much reality in her life. There was undeniable placebo effect just from swallowing the medication down, and she began to feel a little more at ease, and care a little bit less about the consequences of her blank future. It was the release that mattered, like the liberated feeling she had felt when she decided to barge in on Chuckie several nights ago and turn his entire world around. That one shining link to her past when her life was so uncomplicated, when her schemes only involved acquiring chocolate chip cookies and new accessories for Cynthia. Charles Finster was the least changed from those carefree days, the closest thing she had to a living link. Something about him gnawed at her, like a bad habit she couldn't let go of. Funny, it had always seemed easier in high school. Her extended family were people that she could let in and out of her life at will, like actors in a play, moving across the stage of her life. Resources to be harvested and disposed of. Though she could be loath to admit it, they cared about her. For reasons she never fully understood. Maybe she was just a part of them, a pattern on the tapestry of their lives, her influence just another part of their personality makeup. And her influence could not possibly have been felt any better than on Chuckie, that weak branch, blowing in the wind, and she was the gale. But it was the force she had applied that had made him stronger. Perhaps that was why he had come. Some part of him recognizing her potential to make him stronger and more successful than he could ever hope to become on his own.

Inhaling, Angelica took one last look into the mirror, letting her breath out slowly, her long, bare arms trailing off into her blouse, the skirt falling over the upper portion of her legs, each strand of hair in place, bending to her will. It was a routine she had spent the better part of her life working on, and there was something exhilarating about the degree of control that she had over her appearance—something she lacked over her life at large. Smirking at her reflection, she placed the plastic bottle back in her purse along with her lotion. The rest of the makeup was left behind; she had a compact mirror and a travel kit in her purse for any minor adjustments that might need to be made throughout the course of her evening. Satisfied that the time had come, she crossed to bathroom door and banged on it loudly. "If I have to come in there after you, Finster, it's not going to play out like one of your fantasies!" She threatened. Her words obviously had the desired effect, because she was rewarded with the sound of the shower being turned off. She crossed to the bed, sitting down with her sandals on the floor in front of her, making a mental checklist of places she wanted to go tonight. _It's time to see if Chuckles can handle himself in the big city. _

Her wait wasn't long, and Chuckie reappeared in the suite, dressed in his usual attire, his hair still damp, but a bit more under control. "Well?" the boy asked, seeking her approval.

"Eh, it'll do for now. Wait until we get you some new threads. Then we'll see about crafting you a new look. Got your wallet?"

"Yes."

"Keycard?"

"What's that?"

"The electronic room key, you idiot!"

"You never gave me one!"

Angelica paused, replaying their arrival at the hotel in her head. She opened her purse, fishing around, only to find that she did indeed possess both keys. "Huh, what do you know? I should probably keep them both anyway…but here." She handed over one of the keys. The thought did cross her mind to keep both keys in case she had the opportunity to trade up, but it would be too much hassle if word got back home. Besides, who else was going to put up with her?

The blonde flipped the lights off after verifying the presence of her cell phone in her purse. "Let's go." They exited the door and proceeded to walk down the hall. Chuckie's head darted left and right as he took in the posh decorations, paintings, and luxurious carpeting. He had hardly been conscious when coming in, so he was seeing it for the first time. A man clad in a full black suit, wearing an earpiece, looked at them darkly, but said nothing as they passed. The suit made Chuck nervous, but Angelica seemed not to give him a moment's notice as they passed, entering the elevator. Angelica pressed the button for the lobby, and the doors shut quickly, ferrying them towards their destination.

"What was that guy doing?"

"Hmm?" His companion asked, then gathered his meaning "Oh, no big. It's a rather swanky hotel. He's probably just security for some celebrity or politician or something. It happens."

"Security?!"

"Yeah, you know, famous people have lives too." She explained as the elevator came to a stop. The two of them walked through the now open doors, passing another security figure that looked as though he had been cloned from the one patrolling their floor. Chuckie was only too glad to be out of their intimidating presence as they strolled the winding corridor, passing the spa, gym and casino on their way to the front lobby. They bypassed the front desk altogether, continuing down a second hallway that crossed into the main Mandalay Bay casino and hotel, which the Four Seasons was a part of. "There's a monorail nearby we can take to save some time."

"Sounds better than walking…" Chuckie acknowledged, but still felt apprehensive as he struggled to keep up with Angelica. She twisted and turned through the corridors with purpose, pausing only to stop at another elevator, this one taking them a few floors up. "Could we slow down?"

"Can't, we've got a lot to do. Come on, we're almost there, I promise!"

"Alright…" Chuck sulked, but continued to follow her lead, Angelica grabbing his hand to pull him along until they passed through a set of tall glass doors onto a high platform. "There, you see, I told you we'd make it. " She smiled smugly, sitting down on a bench. "Any minute now, and we'll be on our way."

"You know a lot about this place, Angelica." Chuck rubbed his neck nervously.

"It's my kind of town. People here take chances and just want to have a good time. Just like me." She smiled, standing as their ride approached.

"So what should I tell my parents when I talk to them again?" He asked out of left field, as the monorail came to a halt and opened its doors, spilling out a moderate crowd of passengers from its doors."

"Tell them you're seeing the world!" She laughed. "Heck, in Vegas, you can go almost anywhere the planet has to offer!"

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see." She gave him a push into their waiting ride, and they occupied a bench seat as others began to pile on, before the doors finally shut. "Just look out the window behind us." Angelica offered as the car began to lurch into motion.

They soon cleared the platform, and Chuck was afforded a bright view of neon in all its glory. There were no words that could describe what he was feeling, there were so many sights and colors and motions assaulting his view. So he simply sat with his mouth agape, finally beginning to understand what it was that enthralled Angelica with the city. "Wow…." His voice trailed off in the understatement of the year.

"Chuckie, welcome to Las Vegas. " Angelica grinned as their car moved along the track, and is the codeine in her system began to make her feel warm and relaxed, she became increasingly certain that it would be a good time.

Author's Notes

So, it's been like four years since I've updated this story. I'm sure no one's expecting it at this point. So I figured, hey, why not get it out of limbo for awhile. For the first time in a long time, I've just really wanted to write, so I got to working on some things. And slowly, over time, it expanded from more than just an idea or just a scene from an unfinished fanfic into something that made me want to pick the whole thing up again. So I did, and I've been working on this for a month or two now, picking it up and putting it down, letting it grow over time on its own, rather than just rushing it towards completion.

Standing back and looking at it now, I realize it's probably a little less than exciting. This chapter is mostly exposition, transferring this story onto a new track for its two stars. Still, it's something that needs to be done, as I can't create all the moments that will make the story work by working solely inside of the hotel room. Yes, yes, I know some of you pervy hooligans would probably rather I keep Chuckie and Angelica ensconced inside their comfy hotel room, but really, it's not that kind of a story. At least, not yet. There really is a point I will be making with this fic when I get to it, something that really defines exactly who its central characters are. I've got a lot of it all written out in my head in terms of conclusion and such, so I do know where I'm going, trust me. I guess it just means that I'll get there when I get there.

I recently went off into a long-winded tangent about my life and writing and everything when I posted _Changing Faces_ only a few days ago. So having said all that, I'm not going to repeat it. Instead I'm just going to focus on my recent inspiration and try to get stuff done. I want to keep pushing forward with my stories when I find the time, because I feel that expressing myself creatively helps me to grow as a person. I've always had this penchant for working with the characters that strike a chord with me, for pushing them to be more than they were on my television screen, and it spurs along my desire to create. Unfortunately, the past few years have taken their toll on my creativity, more often than not, even when I feel creative, I lack the energy to do anything about it beyond a few thoughts about putting character X in situation Y. Maybe that's beginning to change, I don't know. I like to think the fact that I was able to come back and update this story means something, but at the same time, I don't want to set myself or my readers up for disappointment.

Still, allow me to reiterate that it is my full intent to finish my stories, not to leave them forever undone. That's why I'm not taking on any new projects. I want to focus on what I've done so far and get them all completed. I owe that much to the people who have given so much back, who have invested countless in reading what I've written. I can't just allow it all to come to nothing. I owe people a conclusion, and it's up to me to be responsible and provide it. I owe it to all of you, and I also owe it to the characters that I've come to care so much about. I hope that I'm successful.

In the meantime, you're all welcome to tell me how I'm doing, let me know if this chapter is even up to snuff, and generally use the review space to yell at me for making you all wait four years for this. Yes, I know. You deserve better. But I am trying. I know that you've all been beyond patient with me, but please, keep being patient, and I will finish this. And in less than another four years! I'm making that one a promise because if I can't manage to do that, then honestly, I don't deserve to write.

Of course, you can also reach out to me in other ways. I'll leave my contact information below as I traditionally do. Thank you all for reading and I expect to see you again soon for another update to this or IG. Yeah, I figure if this goes over well, updating IG will cause some kind of angelic choir to sing!

Lord Malachite

4/7/10

4:52AM, EST

E-mail: ranger(underscore)writer(at)yahoo(dot)com

AIM: Asukaphile26


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